De Die In Diem: From Day To Day
by Foodie
Summary: Lucius has met his soulmate and the challenge of his life begins. Part three of the True Revenge series. Please read and review! Complete!
1. Prologue

De Die In Diem

Prologue

It was a hot, humid day in Diagon Alley in the latter days of August. Parents and children filled the stores as they shopped for the coming year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Lucius Malfoy and his son Draco were spending the day running various errands in the different stores in and around Diagon Alley. Draco had dragged his father into a musty, old trinket shop to look around. He was spending his time gazing at all the items on the shelves, with Lucius impatiently pacing the store floor. Anger crossed his face as he approached Draco to tell him to hurry up. He hooked his walking stick around his son's arm and yanked on it hard, pulling Draco off balance backwards. Draco's innate sense of balance kept him from falling, but wary of his father, he moved further into the store, to try to prevent Lucius from forcing him to leave.

Furious, yet not wanting to create a scene in public, Lucius stormed to the other side of the store where a woman caught his eye. She looked at him momentarily, then turned her face back to the book she was looking at, ignoring Lucius completely. This only managed to make him even angrier. Who did this woman think she was, ignoring him, as though he was some common citizen?

Lucius turned and stomped back to where his son was looking in at a glass case filled with toy soldiers that were busy shooting miniature guns at each other. Lucius wanted to leave now and raised his walking stick to rap Draco's knuckles. Having been in the store the whole time they had been, the woman who'd ignored him was tired of seeing this man act like an obnoxious git, and intervened. From across the store, she willed his stick to fly up and hit Lucius in the face instead of his son's hand, as she began walking to where the two stood. The force of the blow knocked Lucius off his feet and he flew backwards, sprawling spread-eagled on the floor. Lucius was stunned and in great pain, and he looked around to see if anybody else had witnessed it and who had been responsible for doing that to him. The only person he saw was that woman.

She was very striking, with chin-length, jet black hair, and coal black eyes that compelled Lucius to stare into them. Her eyes looked familiar to him, yet he couldn't place them at this time. She had olive-tone skin, was of average height and build, and wore a white sundress that was showed off the best of her features. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

She met his eyes with an equal sneer on her face, and began slowly clapping her hands in amusement over the situation. Still on the floor, Lucius could only look at her in awe. He could feel the powerful magic within her and knew she was a woman to be greatly admired and respected. She walked over to him and stood by his side.

Looking down at him, in the same condescending voice he used when speaking to people, she said, "Well done, well done, and what will you do for your next trick? Pull a rabbit out of your hat? Saw your lovely assistant in half? Make somebody disappear? Those were always my favourite magic tricks at birthday parties when I was a child. But don't worry, with just a little more practice you'll get them down pat. I'm sure you'll make a fine magician some day." For extra effect, she bent down and patted the top of his head patronizingly.

After that, she looked around and saw that the wand had come apart from the rest of Lucius's walking stick. She raised her eyebrows and said, "You still use a wand? Amateur!" Standing up, she tilted her head back and looked down her nose at him, laughed and walked away. Lucius was left dumbfounded, his mouth hanging open, unsure of what to make of the situation. The scent of vanilla filled his head as she walked out of sight, and Lucius dropped his head to the floor and lay there, silently. He had never been spoken to in such a fashion before in all his life. If it had been any other person, he probably would have killed her before she had finished her smart remarks. Didn't she know who he was? He was Lucius Malfoy and nobody treated him like that and got away with it.

Draco, smartly, had slipped silently out the door so his father wouldn't hear him laughing, but returned to help dust him off. As the woman had walked past Draco, she smiled at him and winked before walking away. That small act filled him with an attraction he was not used to, but liked very much.

Lucius replayed that scene in his mind several times. As angry as he should be, he wasn't, and at that moment, he couldn't understand why. He couldn't determine how old she was, she looked young, but the contempt for him that she had displayed could only come from many long years of practice. Slowly the humiliation of the scene melted away leaving a great desire to know more about her, behind. He knew he'd just met his soul mate.

Sighing deeply, Lucius slowly pulled himself up off the floor and began dusting himself off with Draco's help. Picking up the two pieces of his walking stick and reattaching them together, he and his son left the store and walked over to Flourish and Blotts.


	2. The Masque

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. The second story was written by me and is called Dark Descent. All three of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.

Author's Disclaimer: Lucius Malfoy's views and actions are not necessarily shared or condoned by the author.

The Masque

The annual New Year's Eve Wizards Masque had come once again. Lucius Malfoy wasn't particularly excited at the prospect of an evening in public with his wife Narcissa. The masque was always the same, year in and year out. Everybody wore dark, stuffy clothes and masques to cover their faces. Witches and wizards stood, huddled in groups, gossiping about outfits and trying to figure out who was who.

Because he had his image to maintain, Lucius always attended, looking his best and on his best behaviour, although he would've rather have spent the evening in a boggart's cupboard. He sighed with boredom, rolled his eyes, and folded his arms impatiently while standing at Narcissa's side, as she made small talk with the people surrounding them. He was looking wistfully up the stairs to the door when another couple made their entrance.

A man with long white hair and beard, his typical purple ensemble, and a small black mask over his eyes, walked down the steps. It was obviously Albus Dumbledore, head master at Hogwarts. Lucius couldn't stand the man and was about to turn away when he noticed the woman on Dumbledore's arm.

She was very attractive and somewhat familiar. Her outfit stood out from the rest of the crowd, who were all conservatively dressed in dark coloured evening gowns and tuxedos. She wore a short, low-cut, skin-tight emerald green outfit that could barely be called a dress. The top part was skin tight while the skirt was made up of green strips of cloth that hung down to her knees. The strips swayed as she moved, revealing even more of her flesh. Her shapely legs ended in matching green high heeled shoes. On one arm, was a series of green bracelets that traveled from her wrist, all the way up her arm to just below her elbow. A simple green choker adorned her slender neck. She wore a delicate green mask over her eyes. Dark black, chin-length hair created a dark halo around her head. He longed to run his hands over her olive-toned skin that looked like it was just made to touch.

The mismatched couple slowly made their way down the long staircase, and onto the dance floor. Lucius watched as the two began to dance a lively waltz together. For such an old man, Dumbledore was quite nimble on his feet as he danced with the enchantress. She was quite a dancer herself. There was a familiarity between those two that made Lucius wonder how they knew each other. She seemed only a fraction of his age... perhaps they were related? All Lucius knew for sure was that he didn't know nearly as much about her as he wanted to.

When the dance ended, he was rudely interrupted by Narcissa's bony finger jabbed into the small of his back. Swinging around to face her, he swiped the glass of wine she was holding out for him and drank it in one swallow. He shoved the empty glass back into her hand and turned around again to find that woman, but both she and Dumbledore had disappeared. He looked around for any sign of them, but no luck. He walked around the edge of the dance floor, searching for her, when he ran into Dumbledore, who was by himself. "Dumbledore," Lucius began, curtly.

"How did you know it was me?" Albus asked innocently.

Not wanting to ruin his chances with Albus' date, Lucius said, "Just a good guess I suppose."

"I assume you're here with you're lovely wife, Narcissa."

Lucius forced a smile on his face. "But of course," he replied. "And who was that girl I saw you arrive with? She doesn't look familiar to me."

Albus smiled and said, "She's an old friend of mine."

"I must say, she does stand out in this crowd, quite a breath of fresh air actually."

"That's why I brought her. The New Year's Masque has been rather dull over the last few years. I thought she might liven up the party."

Lucius nodded his head slowly in agreement. "She does have a lively air about her."

"Aye, that she does," Albus gave Lucius a knowing look. "Now, if you'll excuse me," Albus walked over to a crowd of people talking, and joined in their conversation, leaving Lucius standing by himself, trying to think of where the girl could be.

He began to walk around the dance floor again, looking for her. He finally spotted her after several minutes and began to walk towards her, but stopped dead in his tracks. His stomach felt nervous when he saw who she was talking with: Narcissa.

Narcissa had been standing alone at the refreshment table, nursing a glass of champagne when a snippet of a girl in an emerald green dress appeared next to her. The girl picked up a glass of wine, stood next to Narcissa and sighed. "So, who dragged you to this shindig?" she asked.

Rolling her eyes at having to respond to her, Narcissa answered, "My 'darling' husband."

Trying to make conversation, the girl asked, "Oh really, where is he then?"

Narcissa looked out to the crowd of mingling people. "Over there, he's the one talking to that wizened old fool with long hair..." she said while pointing to the pair of talking wizards.

"You mean Albus Dumbledore?" the girl asked.

"Whatever. Who did you come with?" Narcissa asked, mildly interested.

"That wizened fool, Albus Dumbledore," the girl answered haughtily.

"Oh." Quickly changing the subject, Narcissa asked, "Anyway, where ever did you dig up that thing? It's hardly appropriate." She said pointing to the girl's dress.

"Oh this? This is just a little something I conjured up. It's not as though I have to be well dressed for the likes of these people," the girl replied, gesturing to the people in the room, making sure she included Narcissa in the sweep of her hand.

Lucius chose this moment to intervene between the two women who he could clearly see were not hitting it off. He had hoped they weren't talking about him. A wave of excitement passed over Lucius as he approached the beautiful woman. Walking in between his wife and her, he put his hand over the woman's forearm and gently pulled her away from Narcissa. "Shall we dance?" he asked. The woman looked surprised, momentarily, as Lucius took her wine glass and shoved it into Narcissa's hand and guided her out to the dance floor. Lucius never took his eyes off the woman.

He towered at least half a foot over her as they danced. He held her body tightly with his hands, one clasped over hers, the other at the small of her back, pressing her to him. The woman seemed somewhat uncomfortable with Lucius's forcefulness with her and remained silent while he tried to think of something to say to her.

She looked up at his face and he finally had a chance to look into her eyes. Coal black eyes that seared into his soul. He had seen them before. When had he seen them before? As he twirled the woman around the dance floor, the scent of vanilla filled his head. All of a sudden a memory flashed into his mind: Her. The woman in the trinket shop.

They had the same eyes, same hair, same scent. It had to be her. Now Lucius had to confirm whether it had indeed been this same woman. He couldn't come right out and ask her, he had to spark her memory. Clearing his throat, Lucius looked into her eyes and said, "Pleasant evening isn't it?"

The woman nodded her head in agreement.

"Although it is getting a little bit dull. I was thinking about livening it up. What do you think? I could pull a rabbit out of my hat, maybe? Make somebody disappear? How about sawing my lovely assistant in half? Would that be amusing to see? I hope so, I have been practicing very hard, and hopefully someday soon, I'll get to be a magician!" Lucius' voice dripped with sarcasm as he continued looking in her eyes. She seemed confused at first, but then he saw her eyes grow wide as she realized what he was saying.

"Oh my...trinket shop," the woman said softly, cringing slightly as she saw that she was dancing with the man who had annoyed her so greatly that day in the store. She automatically tried to pull away from his grip, but Lucius held on to her. Now that he'd found her, he certainly wasn't about to let her go that easily.

Lucius had just opened his mouth to say something when Dumbledore appeared at their side and tapped on his shoulder. "May I cut in?" he asked, grinning at Lucius. Lucius didn't know where he had come from, but thought he'd arrived rather quickly. Too quickly, as though he had been summoned. Lucius looked in the woman's eyes and saw a sparkle of humour in them. He loosened his grip while she peeled herself off of Lucius and sauntered up to Dumbledore. Together, they danced, leaving Lucius standing alone in the middle of the dance floor. From across the room, he made eye contact with Narcissa, who smirked at him, held up her wine glass, made a gesture as to toast him, and drained it. Fury enveloped Lucius as he looked around for Dumbledore and the woman. Looking at the clock, he saw that it was ten minutes to midnight. The Masque ended then; he didn't have much time.

He wandered around, scanning the crowd for her. Five minutes left and still no sign of her. Two minutes left, nothing. Lucius found himself directly across from the large clock and saw her standing next to Dumbledore beside it. He quickly made his way across the floor that was still crowded with dancing couples. The crowd had begun the count down to the first stroke of midnight; he was almost there. He finally made it to her side as the crowd began cheering and the clock struck midnight. Lucius grabbed her by the arms and dragged her behind the clock, out of sight from Dumbledore and the rest of the party. "It's a sacred tradition to kiss somebody at midnight on New Year's Eve," he growled, holding her, pinned against the clock. As she opened her mouth to protest, Lucius leaned his face into hers and kissed her, knocking her head hard into the wood base of the clock. He held onto her and continued kissing her until the clock had finished chiming. When it had stopped, he released her from his grasp and watched as she fled from his sight, with Dumbledore trailing quickly behind her.

Lucius smiled and tried to compose himself, for he now felt more aroused than he had in a long time. The old man had been right about her, she was good at livening up an otherwise dull party.

Lucius left that night thinking it had been the best Masque ever.


	3. Tit For Tat

Tit For Tat

Lucius's mind was filled with that girl's face over the next few days after the Masque. He remembered the vanilla scent that surrounded her. He felt her lips pressed against his and his tongue entwined with hers. He felt his pulse race as he thought of her, while the blood seemed to drain from his head to somewhat more important body parts, leaving him blissfully light-headed. He only wished she was around to help him during these times.

He didn't even know her name, but Lucius couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so attracted to somebody. If he ever had. Narcissa had never aroused in him feelings such as this. Try as he may, he could find no information about that girl, though it was not for a lack of effort on his part. Nobody at the Masque but Dumbledore had ever seen her before. He had no name to research. None of the pictures he searched were a match. Lucius had figured she was no more than thirty years old or so, so he'd looked up the school records of students from every wizard school in Great Britain for the past fifteen to twenty years, but had found no visual matches. It was driving him mad! He didn't know how many more cold baths he could stand.

Lucius welcomed the distraction of a dinner party, given by Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, in two week's time. He spent the remainder of that time desperately searching for any clues of the girl.

The weeks passed slowly and unsuccessfully, but finally the dinner party arrived. Lucius, in formal dress robes, with Narcissa, dressed in her finest black silk floor-length dress, on his arm, stood outside the door of the Fudge household, waiting to be let in. A house elf opened the door and admitted them to the party. A small crowd of about ten people had already gathered and were conversing over drinks and hors' de oeuvres. The two quickly parted and joined different conversations.

Lucius was in the midst of a conversation about the pending Muggle Protection Act with Fudge and Walden MacNair, who also worked for the Ministry of Magic, when another couple entered the room. Albus Dumbledore, in his usual clothing, with _her_ on his arm. She wore a crimson red floor-length velvet dress, low-cut, with matching feathers around the shoulders. Crimson gloves covered her hands and extended to just below the elbows. She was free of any ornamentation save for a small ruby on a gold chain around her throat. She made eye contact with Lucius momentarily before making her way, gracefully, into the room that seemed to have grown silent over her arrival.

The couple made their way around the room, greeting everybody. When they stopped in front of Lucius and the men he was talking to, she took her time greeting Fudge and MacNair, carefully avoiding looking at Lucius. After what felt like an eternity, she finally faced Lucius. Her eyes seared into his mind and he stared at her, mesmerized, while she opened her mouth to speak to him. "Let me see now. Blonde hair, snake-headed walking stick, superiority complex larger than his IQ…you must be Luscious Malfoy, right?" she purred innocently, tilting her head and smiling at him, and holding out her hand for him to shake. Taking her delicate hand in his large grip, he raised it to his lips and kissed it.

Smiling back at her, he held onto her hand as he said in a low voice, "It's Lucius actually. It is good to see you again." He looked at her as he spoke, memorizing every curve and angle of her body. Her dress was very low-cut and revealed a lot to him. "I don't think I ever caught your name. After all the fun had at the Masque, I'd hate to never find out who you were."

She looked at him, silently, as though thinking over whether to tell him or not. Mentioning the Masque had wiped the beautiful smile off her face, leaving her looking coldly at him. Suddenly the smile reappeared, and she spoke a word that was like music to his ears: "Adriana".

In the middle of her conversation with some of the other women present, Narcissa looked across the room to see her husband talking to a girl. The same one from the Masque. That girl again! She looked at the dress the girl was wearing and was filled with loathing for her. That dress showed far too much skin to be considered appropriate for a dinner party of this caliber. Narcissa would never wear such an outfit: red wasn't colour anyway. She knew that now Lucius had the object of his desire in his sights, and he wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted from her. This was nothing new; Lucius had had many amorous conquests since their marriage. She hardly cared, for they kept him out of her bed, if nothing else. What she did hate was the amount of money he would spend to gain this girl's affections, as he did with all the others. With a frustrated sigh, Narcissa scowled at Lucius and turned away to shut out the sight of the smiling couple.

"Adriana," Lucius whispered, relishing the sound of the name. "Adriana, would you like to accompany me out onto the balcony? It's such a lovely evening, with the snow falling and catching the moonlight," he said, holding his arm out for her to take. Adriana looked at Dumbledore, grinned, and accepted Lucius's arm, while Dumbledore looked disapprovingly at the two. Together they strolled out onto the covered balcony.

Since it was an extremely cold night, they were alone. As soon as they walked to the edge and looked down on the snow-covered land before them, Lucius felt the cold air nip at his skin. Not wanting to appear cold in Adriana's presence, he chose to ignore it. It appeared that Adriana was doing the same, showing no outward signs of feeling the chill. He had hoped Adriana would be shivering so he could put his arms around her and keep her warm.

"I have thought about you a lot since we first met," Lucius began. "I must admit I haven't been able to find out much about you. Nobody seems to know who you are." He moved his hand from Adriana's arm to her waist. "You are quite a girl of mystery." He drew her closer to him. He could smell the vanilla scent that he remembered from the Masque, it was making him feel light-headed again, although it could also have been the view he had looking down her low-cut dress top. It took every ounce of willpower in his body to keep from leaning down and burying his face in her bosom. It would have been extremely childish of him, but it still didn't stop him from thinking about it.

Adriana smiled and looked up into his eyes. Her lips were mere inches away from his; he leaned down to kiss her, when she spoke up, "I know exactly the feeling. After the Masque I had to find out who you are. I've been researching you. You wouldn't believe how many people have something fascinating to say about you. And when I heard about the dinner party from Albus, I insisted on accompanying him, hoping to find you here. I was quite lucky, I must say." She looked out at the falling snow, took a deep breath, and began to speak again. "Hmm, where to begin, how about the basics? You live at Malfoy Manor, your bedroom is on the third floor, fourth door on the left. You sleep in a king-sized bed with black satin sheets and you tend to sleep in the nude." Adriana turned to Lucius and looked at him from head to foot as though imagining what he looked like while sleeping. He was shocked, how had she found this out? At the same time, he was flattered and turned on even more at the thought that she was checking him out.

Adriana continued, "What else? You eat porridge with precisely two spoonfuls of sugar for breakfast every morning at eight o'clock." She paused and glanced at Lucius to see the look on his face, he looked flustered.

"How did you? What?" Were the only words Lucius was able to form.

Adriana smiled at him. "Like I said, I did my research. Let's see, you keep your money in vault 844 at Gringott's Bank. Oh, and here's a little detail about you I never would have thought: you had a teddy bear named 'Brutus' as a child given to you by your mother Rowena. And I bet you still have him somewhere. Probably up in your attic." Lucius's normally pale face grew even whiter as his anger grew. "Your father Janos gave you all of his school medals, which you melted down and had made into the snake head of your walking stick." At that, she reached down and ran her fingers on the cool metal top of the walking stick, running her nails over Lucius's fingers as he gripped the walking stick tightly.

"Oh, but here's my very favourite. You keep a little black book in your back pocket that you carry at all times. You write down the names of the women you've been with, rating them and noting what they're most fond of in bed. The most recent addition would be Mr. Crabbe's wife. It seems she's rather fond of being tied up. But you broke it off with her after she became too clingy." With that Adriana stopped talking and looked over her shoulder at the group of talking women that no doubt contained one red-headed Mrs. Crabbe.

Lucius cleared his throat and tried to speak, but sounded hoarse. "I can assure you, I have no black book. I don't even know what you're talking about. In fact none of this---" he stopped in midsentence as Adriana boldly drew her arm around his waist. She placed her other hand against his chest and ran her fingertip over one of his shirt buttons. Lucius raised his gloved hand and ran his fingers over the ruby necklace around her throat. He continued to move his hand lower and traced a finger over her breasts. Adriana gasped in surprise, but smiled and didn't try to stop him. She looked up at Lucius seductively, both were breathing rapidly as he leaned down for another attempt to kiss her. At this moment she slipped her hand into his back pocket and drew out a small book.

Looking at it, and frowning slightly, she said, "All right, so you don't have a black book, it's blue, but it's still got all those lovely details in there. Am I in it?" She opened the book and looked for a description of herself. Before she had a chance to find out if she was indeed in it, Lucius ripped the small book out of her hands and placed it inside his coat pocket.

Lucius was dumbfounded at the information she'd found out about him. How had she known about all of that? How many people had she talked to? Anger welled in him as he realized she knew things about him he didn't want anybody to ever find out. And how dare she smile at him while revealing such intimate details about him?

He had just opened his mouth to tell Adriana what he thought of her when the bell rang, announcing dinner. Adriana walked away from him, leaving him standing alone, shivering, in the freezing night air.

When Lucius finally entered the dining room, after leaving his walking stick in the hallway, he found his seat next to Narcissa. By sheer coincidence, perhaps, he also found himself across from Adriana, who was seated next to Dumbledore. All of his anger simmered below the surface as he stared at Adriana. _How dare she?_ Lucius kept thinking to himself. He saw her beautiful smile and her shining eyes as she conversed with Dumbledore, he wanted to slap that look of happiness right off of her. He thought about it for a minute. The table was quite narrow, he wouldn't have to reach that far, but he couldn't do such a thing in public.

Almost without thinking, he slipped his shoe off and stretched his leg out till it reached Adriana's feet. He brushed his foot against hers, looking at her to see what her reaction would be. She ignored him. He'd show her to ignore Lucius Malfoy. He let his foot travel up her calf to her knee and rest there. Still no response. He moved his foot along the inside of her knee, brushed against her thighs, and then--- He smiled viscously as he watched Adriana's soup spoon fall out of her fingers. He had obviously hit just the right spot. Adriana collected the fallen spoon and looked at Lucius with wide eyes. They narrowed after a few seconds and Lucius wondered what that meant.

Adriana looked at Lucius with dark, angry eyes. For one moment Lucius thought he saw a tiny smile cross her face as she turned her head and continued her conversation with Albus. Except for that initial moment of surprise, there was no sign on Adriana's face that would tell the other guests what was going on under the table. Lucius was thrilled when he felt her own shoeless foot begin to rub against his other foot. She seemed to travel the same route he did, stopping at his knee for a few seconds before continuing on. Her toes seemed quite nimble as she rubbed him the right way. Lucius tried to remain composed before the members of the dinner party, but was finding it harder than he would have expected.

"That's the way you want it then, is it?" Adriana's voice spoke in his head. He was amazed as he saw her speaking to Dumbledore yet he could hear her talking in his head at the same time. Lucius wanted nothing more than to sit back and enjoy his experience, but had to keep reminding himself that he was in public. He tried to remain nonplussed but wasn't as successful as Adriana. His hands were balled up in tight fists as he stared at his bowl of soup, concentrating on counting the vegetables swimming in the broth. He tried to breathe normally and appear in command of his faculties when he really felt like melting out of his chair.

"Lucius, you haven't touched your soup, what is the matter with you?" A voice both patronizing and cross broke him out of his trance momentarily. He was incapable of speech at this point in time, not without making an embarrassing scene, so he remained silent and looked back at Adriana.

"Are you all right? Is something wrong?" Adriana asked inside his head, her voice completely composed. Lucius hadn't even realized that he had let his foot fall back to the floor, leaving Adriana the only one left partaking of the under-the-table action.

Narcissa saw the looks passing between the two and muttered to herself about Lucius acting inappropriately in public. "Here darling, let me help you." Without warning, she picked up his spoon, filled it with broth and raised it to his tightly shut mouth. She proceeded to pour the spoonful of liquid down his chin and onto his robes. "Oh my, isn't that a shame," Narcissa exclaimed delightedly, as she picked up his napkin and smeared the liquid all over the front of his robes in her effort to "help" him.

Lucius didn't know how much longer he could hold out. He felt like he might pass out soon. What could he do? Here he was, sitting in the middle of a dinner party with the Minister of Magic and everybody that looked to him as an upstanding citizen, acting like some sort of freak. He just hoped nobody else was noticing his behaviour. He tried to regain control over the situation. He tried to think of people who turned him off. He thought of his old charms teacher at Hogwarts, an old hag of a woman with a mole on her nose that had hair growing out of it. That didn't work. He looked at Narcissa, surely that would work, but it didn't help. The image of Adriana was too strong to erase from his mind. He wanted to see her on her knees in front of him, pleasuring him properly. He wanted to throw her down on the table and take her in front of all the guests.

If he could have moved, he might have grabbed Adriana's foot and pushed it off of him, but he was paralyzed. He knew he only had a few seconds left to avert a total disaster. Thinking quickly, he willed his hands to open up and grasp his bowl of soup. He pulled it closer towards him and ripped the spoon out of Narcissa's hand. Taking a deep breath, he deliberately jerked his hand, upsetting the bowl, sending the scalding hot contents in a cascade, into his lap.

Adriana had seen what he was doing in time to move her foot out of the way, and Lucius grimaced in pain as the hot soup met with already over-sensitive skin. Grabbing his napkin and placing it strategically over his front, Lucius stood up quickly, after retrieving his shoe that was at his feet, walked out of the room as fast as he possibly could, retrieved his walking stick, and made his way to the bathroom.

Lucius locked the door once he entered the bathroom. He leaned against the door as he put his shoe back on and thought about what had just happened. He couldn't believe how this evening had turned out. How had he allowed Adriana to go so far? She had made him look like a fool in front of people. The physical pain of scalding hot soup on such a sensitive area was almost unbearable. He'd had no other choice, but hadn't thought about how much pain it was going to have caused him. The mess was easily cleaned up with a simple cleansing spell. Seconds later, he looked as clean as ever, yet was still in excruciating pain. He had never had much skill with any healing spells, and didn't want to try anything that might result in even worse consequences. Lucius thought about what to put on burns that he had heard about before. Ice might work, but the thought of putting ice there made him cringe worse than the burning. He just wanted to return to Malfoy Manor quickly so he could rest in a cold bath and drown his sorrows in a nice chocolate souffle and a bottle of champagne.

Mustering up what dignity he could, Lucius grabbed his walking stick and made his way back to the dining room. "Come Narcissa, we're leaving," he said shortly, standing in the doorway. Lucius hoped she wouldn't make a scene, it was the last thing he needed. Looking into Narcissa's eyes, he saw anger glaring back at him. The anger quickly turned to frustration. Lucius knew she enjoyed social outings, she was usually kept in Malfoy Manor unless he needed her for such an event. Finally a look of resignation filled her face. Standing up from her seat, slowly, Narcissa held her head high and resolute as she walked over to Lucius, avoiding looking at him. Wordlessly, she took his arm and together they left the room. The silence continued as they gathered their cloaks and prepared to depart from the Fudge household. Her silence continued for many days after. Lucius was grateful for this while he slowly healed from his terrible dining experience with Adriana.


	4. An Afternoon At Hogwarts

An Afternoon at Hogwarts

Two weeks passed painfully for Lucius while he recovered from the burns he had received during the fateful dinner party. His anger at Adriana smoldered during this time, yet he found he couldn't stop thinking about her. The amount of pleasure she had given him before he had burned himself filled his mind. If only they'd been alone, he could have enjoyed it without worrying about appearances. At times, he felt slight confusion, for Adriana managed to anger him more than anybody else he knew, yet he'd never felt more attracted to her at the same time. Lucius was no stranger to anger, it was the most common emotion he felt. Yet this seemed different somehow, and he couldn't put his finger on it. He had to find her, if it was the last thing he ever did, he would hunt her down and find her.

But how? He had found out her first name, but without a last name, it wasn't much help. There was no telling where Adriana lived. The only person who would know that was Albus Dumbledore, and they weren't exactly what one might call "friends". Had he grown desperate enough that he would beg Dumbledore for information? What was he thinking? Malfoys do not beg, they demand. Lucius decided to make his way over to Hogwarts the next morning and get what information he could from Dumbledore.

The next morning dawned a cold, snowy mid-February day. Lucius woke and threw the black satin sheets off of his body and rose to dress for the trip to Hogwarts. He looked at himself in the mirror and pronounced himself properly formidable. After his breakfast- he used three spoonfuls of sugar this time, just to show Adriana she didn't know everything about him, Lucius was ready to set off for the school, when his work interrupted him. It took several hours of paperwork to straighten out all of his business, and by the time he finally left for Hogwarts, he was frustrated by the setback.

Classes were in session when he arrived, so the hallways of the school were empty, save for the occasional ghost passing through. Lucius was walking towards the gargoyle that opened to lead to Dumbledore's office when he felt something hit the back of his head. Stopping in mid-step, he turned around while running a hand over his hair. On the ground was a severed rooster head. "What the...?" he said when a second head whizzed through the air and hit his cheek before rolling to the ground. He heard a cackle of laughter above him and looked up to see an obnoxious-looking ghost with a basketful of rooster heads. The ghost picked up another head and threw it at Lucius, but missed as he ducked out of the way. "Peeves, damn you! What the hell it wrong with you?" he yelled at the ghost.

"Ickle Lucy likes chickens right? Ickle Lucy come to see Dummydore?" Peeves chucked another rooster head at Lucius and managed to hit his hand. The shouts between Peeves and Lucius grew louder and louder as more heads showered down upon Lucius. He didn't notice a gargoyle revolve open and emit Dumbledore, coming down from his office.

"Peeves, go make mischief somewhere else. I think Mrs. Norris is on the fifth floor, go throw those heads at her," Dumbledore said to Peeves, startling both the ghost and Lucius. Peeves took his basket and vanished through the ceiling to find Mrs. Norris. Lucius fumed as he pulled the wand out of his walking stick and waved it over himself, whisking away the blood from the rooster heads on his face and hand.

"Dumbledore, it's reassuring to know you're keeping such good control over this school, as usual," Lucius growled.

"Good afternoon, Lucius," began Dumbledore, ignoring the comments. "What brings you to Hogwarts so unexpectedly?"

"I've come to check on the progress of my son." For the first time that he could recall, Lucius was actually glad that Draco attended Hogwarts.

"Draco is doing well in all of his studies. He seems to thrive under Professor Snape's tutelage. You have no need to worry about him, he makes fine marks," Dumbledore explained to Lucius.

"Well that is good to hear," Lucius said, unsure of how to approach the subject of Adriana without seeming too obvious or desperate. "Listen, since I'm here, you might be able to help me. That girl you brought to the dinner party a couple of weeks ago... Adriana... Now what was her last name, I seem to have forgotten it."

Dumbledore smiled at Lucius and said, "Yes, I remember Adriana. What about her?"

Anger welled inside Lucius as he realized Dumbledore wasn't going to make this easy for him. "Well, we had the most fascinating conversation out on the veranda. And we were debating something and I have only just remembered a very important point I wanted her to hear. You wouldn't know how to get in contact with her would you?" He smiled as warmly as he could.

"In fact I do. Why don't you give me the message and I can pass it on to her for you?" Dumbledore responded with a smile on his face that Lucius found horribly condescending.

Little did Lucius know that the person he was searching for was actually quite closer than he would have expected. Dumbledore was glad that he'd let Hagrid show Adriana around the school grounds when she'd come over to visit for the day. He only hoped Lucius would be gone by the time she returned.

One floor below the men, Adriana had returned from her stroll outside with Hagrid. The first few students had begun to trickle into the Great Hall for lunch. Some of the boys stopped and stared at her as she brushed the snow off her clothes and took her scarf off. She wore a sleeveless, skintight bodice with a white, wide-collared lapel that managed to show a good amount of cleavage without really trying to. The matching skirt, white with a red floral design, flared and ended at her calves. A matching handbag, white gloves and sunglasses, along with white high-heeled shoes finished the ensemble. It didn't seem quite appropriate for a snowy February day, but somehow, she pulled it off.

A couple of boys heading towards the Great Hall, walked over to her. Adriana looked up while bending over to straighten the ribbons on her shoes. Smiling at them, Adriana stood up to her full height, which was not too much taller than they were. "Hello, gentlemen. You haven't seen Albus Dumbledore lately have you?" she asked while looking up towards the main staircase.

The boys, one tall, red-headed, with his mouth hanging open, shook his head. The other, dark-haired, with glasses and an odd-shaped scar on his forehead, who must have been Harry Potter, spoke. "No, but he's probably in his office, the door's just up on the next floor. We can take you if you like," the boy offered.

"Oh, thank you, I think I can find it on my own. You go eat lunch, before it gets too crowded in there," Adriana replied, smiling at the boys before turning and walking to the stairs.

Lucius was in the middle of negotiating with Dumbledore for information on Adriana when he saw her walking up the stairs. Scowling at Dumbledore, he turned his back on him and walked to the top of the stairs to meet her. Adriana looked at Lucius, then at Dumbledore, then back at Lucius again. "What are you doing here?" she asked him, the look on her face showing her shock momentarily, before being replaced with annoyance.

"I could ask the same of you," Lucius replied, looking equally annoyed.

"Well, I'm visiting Albus today, I don't know why you're here..." Adriana said, looking coyly at Lucius.

"Actually, I was trying to find out something about you. After the 'wonderful' dinner party, I couldn't help but wonder what your surname was." Lucius was hoping for a proper answer from her.

Looking at him thoughtfully, Adriana's eyes twinkled mirthfully. Finally, she opened her mouth and spoke, "Well, why didn't you just ask that night? It's Orendes. My goodness, you'd think it was such a big deal or something. And you came to Albus? You must have been desperate."

Lucius turned a whiter shade of pale as his anger grew within him. It was a difficult job trying to maintain his composure after being given one of the greatest pieces of information in his life while simultaneously being humiliated.

"Oh, by the way, you will want to make sure you stay for lunch, they're serving a most delicious soup, or so I've heard. You'd probably like it, although you might want to actually eat it this time," Adriana purred at Lucius. "And that reminds me, I never had a chance to ask you how Albert liked the soup at the party. Did he enjoy it?" she asked curiously with a wink of her eye.

Lucius's eyes grew wide and he tried to speak, but was dumbfounded. He was already standing close to Adriana, but grabbed her arm and pulled her to his side. "How did you know about that?" he whispered.

Adriana smiled at Lucius and chuckled. "Well, I must say I was shocked that I didn't find out through all my research, but at the dinner table, well how can I put this delicately? Let's just say it was much too…hard to miss." Lucius paled even more and let go of her arm.

Dumbledore was standing outside his door, out of hearing range of Adriana and Lucius. He'd done his best to prevent Lucius from finding out too much about her, but it seemed out of his control at this point. He was momentarily distracted by Professor Snape who had brought papers for him to look at. Dumbledore looked at Snape for a second then made a quick decision. "Adriana," he called out to her. "There's somebody I'd like you to meet." Adriana looked at Dumbledore and walked away from Lucius and made her way to Snape. "Adriana, this is Professor Severus Snape. Severus this is an old friend, Adriana Orendes."

Adriana held out her hand for Snape to shake. "Pleased to meet you Professor Snape. What do you teach?"

Snape took her hand tentatively and shook it. "I'm the potions master," he replied.

Adriana raised her eyebrows. "Potions master! Well, you must show me your classroom, it's been a while since I saw it last." With that, she put her arm through Snape's and looked expectantly at the staircase. Snape cleared his throat nervously and began to walk beside her, down the stairs, together making their way to the dungeons.

Lucius watched as the two walked down the stairs, his eyes narrowed, fuming. As he walked over to Dumbledore, he asked, "Where are they going?"

"She's going down with Severus," Dumbledore replied.

The look on Lucius' face was a mixture of anger and shock. "Excuse me?"

"She's going to the dungeons with Severus. He's going to show her his room," Dumbledore explained more thoroughly. He wished Lucius would leave soon, he was a most unpleasant man to be around and he didn't understand why Adriana didn't mind him. But Lucius kept coming up with things to talk about, questions to ask.

In the dungeons of the school, Snape showed Adriana around the classroom. Adriana seemed fascinated at all the specimens he kept in jars on shelves. Snape was not used to having an extremely attractive woman interested in what he liked. Adriana walked around the room, speaking in a whisper, to herself, "It's been far too long since I was here last. It hasn't changed that much though, after all these years..."

Snape walked up behind Adriana silently. "It can't have been a very long time since you attended Hogwarts?" he asked, startling her. Snape cringed as he saw that he'd startled her.

Looking at Snape with large eyes, Adriana, spoke. "Well, sometimes it seems like a very long time ago, but you know what time does to you after awhile, years go by like days..."

"I understand completely," Snape replied. "Sometimes I cannot believe I've been teaching here for twelve years. Some days it feels like it's all gone by in a flash, others days, it feels like an eternity."

Continuing to look around the room, Adriana mentioned how potions had been her favourite subject while at Hogwarts. The two engaged in a lively conversation about the subject.

Upstairs outside Dumbledore's office, Lucius was futilely explaining to Dumbledore why it was a very bad idea to leave Adriana and Snape down in the dungeons together for such a long time. It was in the middle of this argument that Lucius was treated to images sent to him courtesy of Adriana. He had no idea whether or not they were real.

Adriana was making Snape feel quite important with all her inquiries. "A three-headed cow fetus! However did you get that?" she asked, amazedly, looking at all the disturbing creatures he had in jars in his room. "You must have to know a lot of important things to create so many potions. I've never really tried to make any before. What is your very favourite kind of potion to make?" she kept a conversation going for some time, Severus for once, being a pleasant man to be around.

With every question, Adriana edged ever closer to Snape, until her shoulder brushed against his arm and he had a clear view of her ample cleavage. She kept asking questions and laughing at his feeble attempts to make jokes. Adriana knew she had Snape right where she wanted him and took the opportunity to take it to the next level. She placed her hand on his and pressed it while leaning in closer to him and purred at him seductively.

The next move was Snape's and he didn't take a long time to make it. Starving for affection and not wanting to lose his chance, he leaned down and kissed her upturned lips. He moved his mouth down to her chin and then to her neck. He seemed quite content with her neck, which he nibbled fiercely. Snape's hands were all over her body and Adriana was crying out "Oh, Snape, you brute!"

Lucius paused in midsentence and tried to shut the vision out of his mind with no luck. He broke off his conversation with Albus and turned to run down to Snape's office.

Adriana sat on Snape's desk, while he stood in front of her. She and Snape were enjoying one another's company, and were laughing over a joke Adriana had made when the sound of loud footsteps interrupted them. Lucius burst in upon them, looking wildly at the two. Marching up to Adriana, ignoring Snape, he reached a hand out and grabbed her by the arm. "Adriana, you are not to see that man again!" Lucius snarled angrily.

Adriana struggled against his grip, but was unable to free herself. "Excuse me? I intend to do much more than just see him Mr. Malfoy!" With that, Adriana ripped her arm away from him. She walked to Snape, reached her arms around his broad shoulders, pulled herself up to his face, and pressed her lips to his. Snape was taken aback momentarily, but after a couple of seconds, decided to play along with her.

Lucius watched with horror and anger, as Snape wrapped his arms around Adriana, running his hands down her back. He reached down to caress her backside, taking the time to make eye contact with Lucius, raising his eyebrows at him as he did so.

As though deciding to show Lucius she wasn't kidding around, Adriana showed that she quite enjoyed what Snape was doing. "Oh Severus!" she moaned loudly. After a few more seconds of kissing Snape, she pulled away from him and turned back to Lucius. "Don't you ever tell me what to do, do you understand me? Who do you think you are anyway? If I want to see Severus, you'd hardly be able to stop me," she whispered fiercely at him.

At this moment, Snape found a piece of gum in his mouth, left by Adriana. He tapped her shoulder and handed it back to her when she turned around, where she proceeded to put it back in her mouth. Snape grinned evilly at Lucius and wiped his mouth off before turning his back on him and walking around the desk to his chair.

Overwhelmed with jealousy and anger, Lucius's only thought was to make Snape suffer. Pulling his wand apart from his walking stick, Lucius began to speak, "Cru---", but stopped in the middle of the word, unable to continue.

"What was that?" Adriana asked. "I'm afraid I can't hear you." Lucius tried to speak, but only silence emerged from his mouth. "You need to learn to control your temper. Maybe silence will help you. You can just stay this way until you learn to control yourself."

Taking a feather quill and a piece of parchment from Snape's desk, Adriana wrote something down and handed it to Snape. "Severus, here's my address, do send me a post by owl, I'd love to stay in touch." Smiling at Snape, she turned to leave, carefully avoiding looking at Lucius. Lucius followed her up the stairs from the dungeon. He saw a piece of cloth flutter down and settle down on the step that he was about to put his foot on. Stooping down to pick it up, he saw it was the scarf that Adriana had worn. He put it in his pocket and continued up the stairs. Adriana had left the school by the time Lucius was ready to depart. It was dark by the time he set off for Malfoy Manor.

His anger had reached a new pinnacle by the time he had returned home. Unable to vocalize his anger towards Adriana, he did the only thing he could think of to feel better. He went to Narcissa that night. It had been a while since he'd done so. The scent of vanilla from Adriana's scarf filled his mind and her face looked up at him as he "visited" with Narcissa. It was Adriana's cries of pain he heard in his mind and her look of fear, not his wife's. When he'd finished with Narcissa, he returned to his own room, where he fell asleep that night feeling better than he had in a very long time.


	5. The Hunter

The Hunter

Lucius's voice had returned to him by the next morning. His loud bellows could be heard by the house elves in the hallway outside his bedroom. They hurried to bring him breakfast, which for once, he ate in bed. His mood soared as he thought about the previous night. He still had his clothes on from yesterday and Adriana's scarf was in his pocket. He could smell her scent on it. The only thing that would have made his experience perfect, was if he'd actually been with her. He relived the events of the evening several times in his mind that day, and each time he felt his face flush with excitement and pleasure.

His mind was filled with thoughts of Adriana over the next several days. He relived every moment he'd shared with her. He decided she was a very powerful witch. The day in the trinket shop, the Masque, the dinner party, Hogwarts, he realized with a shock that at none of those times had he seen her with a wand. She didn't use a wand? Unless she kept it well hidden. But she'd have to use it, right? He remembered what she'd worn at all their meetings. She wore the occasional necklace, but nothing magical stood out to him. No wand, or magic ring, or anything that could contain magic. He'd never known anybody who had ever performed magic without a wand.

She could talk to him in his mind as well. He was a strong Occlumens and Legilimens, and wasn't used to anybody, not even the Dark Lord, prying into his mind like that. On top of that, she could send him images, and didn't have to be present to do it either. Lucius thought of the New Year's Masque and how Dumbledore had come to her rescue so quickly. She must have summoned him. She didn't need to use words to produce a successful spell either. She had silenced him without opening her mouth.

She also seemed impervious to the cold. The night of the dinner party, on the veranda, he'd been freezing, yet she had not even seemed to notice the snow. And the clothes she'd worn at Hogwarts, were most definitely not winter wear.

Adriana seemed to have some of the strongest powers he had ever heard of and Lucius wondered how she did it and of course, how he could use them for his own purposes. All he had to do was to find her and figure out how she had developed them. Then she would help him to fulfill his greatest dreams. Lucius had always wanted to succeed Voldemort as the next Dark Lord. He saw that Adriana was the key to his success or failure. "Lord Malfoy"…The name sounded good as it rolled over his tongue. He imagined the things he'd do as Lord Malfoy. It would make all he was doing with the Chamber of Secrets seem like child's play. And all the humiliation and suffering Adriana had put him through would be repaid ten fold, most likely more.

The only problem he had was not knowing where Adriana was. He had still not had any success searching for her with her full name, or at least the one she had given him. The little bitch had probably given him a false name. If he ever had the fortune of finding her, the first thing he was going to do was to wring her scrawny little neck.

Lucius had finally come to the realization that he was not going to be able to find her on his own. He had to get help, but it had to be discreet. He considered which of his contacts would be best suited for this job. Maybe it was time to call up a favour from one of them.

In the master bedroom, Lucius found a quill and parchment and began to write to the man who would help him. Harold Saxby, a man who had a reputation for finding anything that couldn't be found, was just the one to help. He hadn't needed him yet, but knew he was trustworthy, or at least would be if he wanted to remain alive and in business. Attaching the note to an owl, he sent the letter to Saxby giving him an hour for later that day to meet by fireplace.

Lucius spent the rest of the day in his room planning on what to say to Saxby. All he had was a possible name, a physical description and the scarf he'd taken. He was wont to part with it, but if it helped find her, he would make that sacrifice.

That evening Harold Saxby appeared in the fireplace of Lucius's bedroom at the appointed time. Wearing a black cape over a blue suit, Saxby walked into the room and shook Lucius's hand. Saxby had mousy brown hair, hazel eyes, and a thick handle-bar moustache. Lucius carefully explained his request of Saxby and the importance of keeping this as quiet as possible. He pulled the scarf out of his pocket and handed it to Saxby. Saxby folded it up and put it in his inner coat pocket. He told Lucius he would do everything in his power to help him find Adriana and returned to his office via the fireplace.

Over the next few days, Saxby followed a few leads he had but with no more luck than Lucius had. Lucius checked in with Saxby every day. Upon reporting back to him after the third day, Lucius told Saxby he was not trying hard enough and that he'd better step up his efforts. Saxby carefully studied the scarf dropped by Adriana. There was a label on it bearing the name "Christian Dior". A little research showed this to be a Muggle clothing designer. Saxby widened his search to include the Muggle world and came up with several leads. After trying all of them, he found several possibilities. Out of the ten or so leads, he came up with five that had actual Adriana sightings.

The next time Saxby met with Lucius he had planned on telling him this and explaining that the next step was to thoroughly explore each of those places to see which was really where Adriana lived. Lucius was impossible to deal with, yelling at Saxby for not knowing exactly where she was, and for taking such a long time to find her. Saxby was deliberately taking a long time so he would have to pay him more. Lucius resorted to name-calling and threats in order to inspire Saxby to work faster and harder. Saxby became fed up with this and threw the parchment with the possible addresses at Lucius and promptly quit on the spot, disappeared through the fireplace before Lucius had time to protest. The only choice Lucius had was to go to every address himself and check them out.

The things Lucius would do for power, he couldn't believe he was actually going to enter the Muggle world. More unbelievable to him though, was the fact that Adriana willingly lived there. She was perhaps the most powerful witch on the planet and living among those filthy, idiotic Muggles. He looked at the list of addresses: a store, a restaurant, and three homes. He figured he'd get the store and restaurant out of the way first, since she most likely didn't live there. Perhaps she worked at one of these places.

The next morning, Lucius dressed in his most impressive black clothes, took up his walking stick, and set off for the first place on the list. Taking the jet black Bentley that Lucius kept in case of such emergencies, he put a spell on the car to drive for him, and take him to London.

By midmorning, he had found the first address on his list. After the car parked itself, he stepped out and walked to the doorway of the store. "Adriana's Bridal Boutique" the sign above the door read. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped in.

A flood of white attacked his senses. White cloth, white flowers, white carpet, white walls; his eyes began to water at the brightness. Women were being fitted for dresses which made the shop feel reminiscent of Madam Malkin and her robe shop, only brighter. He wasn't used to electric lighting, how could Muggles stand it?

An overeager clerk approached Lucius. "How are you today, sir? How may I help you?" She was a young, red-haired girl with large green eyes, who looked to be no older than eighteen or nineteen years old. "Are you looking for something? Helping your fiancée perhaps? I'm sure I can help you find what you're looking for."

Having been extremely careful through his life to stay as far away from Muggles as possible, being this close to one began to make him feel uncomfortable. Instinctively backing away from her, Lucius held his walking stick in front of him like a shield. "Does a woman named Adriana Orendes work here, by any chance?" he asked coolly.

The girl stepped closer to him and looked into Lucius's eyes. "Hmm. No, the owner is named Adriana, but that's not her surname. Sorry."

Frustration welled in him as he turned to leave. Not paying attention to where he was walking, he brushed against rack full of veils. Half a dozen veils fell off and entangled themselves around him. Buried in a mountain of white tulle, Lucius stopped walking to disentangle himself. The girl who had spoken to him came running up to help free him. Between the two, they soon unwound the veils from his body. "I'm terribly sorry sir," the girl said, sounding slightly amused. Lucius glared at her, willing himself not to do anything imprudent. Mustering up what dignity he could, he departed from the boutique, and made his way back to the Bentley.

He would try the restaurant next, if she wasn't there, he was going back home. He couldn't take too much of this in one day. The restaurant was also in London, so he didn't have to travel too far to find it. The Orendes Family Greek Restaurant stood out from the other stores around it due to the rather large pillars outside it that connected to the overhanging rooftop. Smells of strange foreign food filled the air as Lucius took a few steps forward towards the restaurant. Looking in the window, he saw many tables filled with Muggles. They had dark skin and hair like Adriana and his stomach gave a hopeful lurch at the thought of finally finding her.

Walking to the door and entering, the lively sounds of Greek music filled his ears. He was hungry and the smells were quite enticing, but he didn't know if he could bring himself to eat Muggle-made food. The thought made him feel positively ill. Looking at the menu didn't help much; he didn't know what any of the words meant. Scanning the English translations, one word stuck out to him, "Oysters". Pan-fried oysters with a lemon-garlic sauce. If there was one culinary weakness Lucius had, it was oysters. He'd eat them raw, fried, baked, any way. He couldn't believe he was actually going to do this, he really didn't have any idea what had come over him lately.

The hostess asked Lucius if he'd like to be seated, and before he knew what was happening, the word, "Yes," popped out of his mouth, and he found himself following her to a table and sitting down.

When the waitress came to his table, he ordered the oysters and sat back, taking in all his surroundings. He kept an eye out for Adriana, but didn't see her. The restaurant was clean, and dimly lit and filled with happy couples eating romantic dinners for two, or families with many loud children. Lucius was the only patron by himself.

Lucius's food came several minutes later. He'd never had Greek food before and took a moment to look carefully at what he was about to eat. The oysters smelled delicious and were served with sautéed vegetables and some type of rice dish. Picking up his fork, he carefully tried the rice and vegetables. They had all sorts of herbs and spices he'd never tasted before. The oysters were flavourful and perfectly cooked. He actually enjoyed every bite of his meal. He even ventured to try the baklava for pudding and was not disappointed.

Two important things happened when the waitress came and brought him his bill. Lucius asked the waitress if Adriana worked there and was disappointed to find out that she didn't. He also realized that he had no Muggle money with him. He had been in such a hurry to find her that he hadn't thought everything out thoroughly. Damn it, he thought to himself. Picking up his bill and looking over his shoulder, Lucius made his way to the bathroom and stepped inside. Walking into a stall, he made sure the room was empty before apparating to his car and driving away as quickly as possible.

Lucius drove back to Malfoy Manor, to prepare for another long day of searching for Adriana. The next morning, he stopped by Gringotts and exchanged some of his money for Muggle currency, just in case, before leaving for the next address.

The last three addresses were for homes, so one of them had to be hers. Lucius drove to an area several hours further south than he had the day before. Houses were close together and all looked the same. He was almost there; as he found it, he looked for a place to park the car.

As Lucius walked up to Number 4 Privet Drive, he hoped somebody was home, ideally Adriana. After rapping on the door with his walking stick, he met a person who was most definitely not Adriana. A woman with long, blonde, straight hair and a bony, horse-like face stared at Lucius with large, alarmed eyes. The woman looked at the clothes he wore, screeched, and slammed the door in his face. Her screams continued as she called for somebody. Suddenly, silence emerged from the house and from the corner of his eye, Lucius could see two sets of eyes looking at him from behind the front window curtains. These Muggles obviously knew what Lucius was and weren't too keen to speak with him. Making eye contact with them, he lunged at the window, enjoying watching them pull back from the window and scream in unison. Chuckling to himself, he walked back to the car, realizing that after all this time with Muggles, he had finally found some who knew how to truly respect a wizard.

Driving away, Lucius looked at the next address; it was in the same general area as this last place, but closer to the coast. He drove for an hour or so, until he saw the countryside change. Houses were spaced further apart and farms dotted the land. The car drove to a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. It was obvious that the owner of this place was rather prosperous, as there was a lot of land fenced off around the house. He parked across the lane from the house and got out of the car. The house was huge, one level, ranch-style, long and sprawling, with a large wrap-around porch. He could see a pond behind the house, along with a barn and corral on one side, and an orchard of some type on the other.

Lucius slowly walked up to the house, taking in all the sights. As he came to the front door, he opened up the screen, raised his walking stick and rapped on the door.


	6. The Hunted

The Hunted

A couple of minutes passed after Lucius knocked on the door, some of the longest minutes of his life. He knocked again. Several more minutes passed. He knocked a third time. Finally the door opened. He saw Adriana and a smile came over his face as relief flooded through his body.

"Adriana, I can't believe I finally f---"

"Whatever it is you're selling, I'm not interested," interrupted Adriana, who then slammed the door in his face.

Amazement and frustration showed on Lucius's face. This is going to be much harder than I thought, he thought to himself.

Adriana stood against the door and sighed deeply. She had known this moment was coming, yet was not as prepared as she thought she would have been. Taking a slow, deep breath, she turned around and slowly opened the door again. "Yes, can I help you?" she asked Lucius.

"Adriana, I---" Lucius began before being cut off once again.

"I'm sorry do I know you?" Adriana looked at him questioningly.

"You know damn well who I am," he snarled.

"I'm afraid I don't, maybe you could tell me your name and it'll spark a memory," Adriana went on.

"Lucius Malfoy," he responded with clenched teeth.

"Hmm...Malfoy, the name does sound familiar, but I'm afraid I can't place your face from anywhere. Where have we met?"

"I don't believe this! You know who I am!"

"I know who you are, but do _you_ know who you are? That's the real question."

Trying to calm himself down, Lucius stood silently for a moment, taking in the sight of Adriana. He had never seen a woman dressed like her before. She wore a simple low-cut white tank top and very short cut-off jeans shorts that frayed at the ends. She was barefoot and had pearly pink painted toenails. He liked that look on her a lot.

With her hands on her hips, Adriana tapped her foot on the ground, impatiently awaiting what he would say next. Her eyes glared at him and her mouth was drawn tightly. Lucius felt an impulse to lean forward and tickle Adriana to put a smile on her face, yet thought better of it and kept his hands to himself.

"Well, don't just stand there letting the cold air in, come inside," she said huffily, ushering Lucius inside her home. He stood by the coat rack, taking off his cape and taking in his surroundings. The house was warm and open and lightly coloured. An off-white carpet met his feet and extended from the front hallway into the extensive living room. A large open kitchen loomed at the far end of the house. Closed doors led to more rooms. He wondered which one was the bedroom. Large windows on every wall let in light from the outside. Adriana's house was everything that Malfoy Manor was not: cozy, homey, giving off an aura of goodwill. He was immediately filled with a sense of homecoming.

Lucius walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa. Adriana followed him into the room and watched as he made himself at home. "Oh, by all means, please sit down," she said smartly. She stood at the far end of the sofa with her arms folded, staring at him. "Well I must say you found me sooner than I expected," she finally said.

Lucius looked at her with surprise on his face. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Adriana unfolded her arms, walked to a desk, opened a drawer and pulled something out. Walking to his side, she unfolded what she'd taken from the desk and dropped it in his lap.

Lucius picked up a familiar piece of material that turned out to be the scarf he'd taken. "Saxby," he began, "I'm going to kill him!"

Adriana smiled and spoke, "Well now, don't kill him; he was just doing what I told him to."

Lucius looked blankly at her.

"I caught him prowling around here a few weeks ago. I was able to convince him to help me to help you. I thought it might be fun," Adriana grinned evilly.

"So all those places I went to, you gave Saxby the addresses?" An angry look began to creep up on Lucius's face.

Sitting down on the other side of the sofa, Adriana continued, "I did. And I for one have had a great time imagining what you've been going through. Did you go to all the addresses?"

"No, there was one more," Lucius said slowly.

"Did you get to the swamp?" Adriana asked eagerly.

Lucius shook his head, anger overcoming him.

"Oh, I was hoping you'd go there first. Too bad," Adriana purred at him. She saw the look of anger and confusion on Lucius's face and explained, "I knew you'd be looking for me. It was really only a matter of time, so I figured, why not have some fun with it?"

The confused expression on Lucius's face remained as strong as ever. "All right, obviously you don't get it. Let me explain step by step for you. Step one, I drop my scarf for you to pick up. Step two, you get frustrated with no luck searching for me and hire somebody to do it for you. Step three, I lead you on a wild goose chase. Step four, I have loads of fun watching you go on a wild goose chase. Step five, if you're lucky, you actually find me. And I must say that you did very well," Adriana said, her smile remaining very strong. She sat back and watched Lucius as he took in all she had said.

Lucius was still holding her scarf which he held in his fists that clenched ever more tightly with each of her words. His knuckles were white, as well as his face. He had been so sure he had the upper hand in the search for Adriana that he was completely taken aback by her revelations. Thoughts of strangling her danced through his head. He was so angry he couldn't speak. She had actually rendered him speechless, and this time no magic had been involved!

His brain slowly began to thaw out from his anger and he thought about what she'd said. She knew he would be looking for her. She had dropped her scarf on purpose. That meant that she had _wanted_ him to find her! He knew his irresistible charms would draw her in eventually.

Adriana sat at the other end of the sofa with a smug look of triumph on her face. Lucius slid down closer to her. "I had to find you; there is so much I have to ask you. How does a young girl like you have such extraordinary powers? And why do you live in the Muggle world? And why do you consort with the likes of Dumbledore?" he asked, while a look of distaste crossed his face. With each question, he moved closer to Adriana until he sat with his leg touching hers. Placing his hands on her thighs, he leaned against her, Adriana leaned back until she reached the arm of the sofa and couldn't move anymore. Trying out some of his more successful seductive moves on her, he was disappointed at what she said.

"What makes you think I'm just going to tell you all of this? It really is none of your business you know," Adriana said, a look of amusement on her face, clearly ignoring all of his efforts.

Anger overtook Lucius once again. Sitting back up, and grabbing his cane he detached the wand from it and held it against her chest. "Listen, girl. Answer my questions or you'll regret it," he snarled at her.

With the same look of amusement, Adriana chuckled softly and spoke, "You'll find that won't work here."

"What?" Lucius asked.

"Your wand. As long as you are here, it won't work," she clarified.

"And why not?" he questioned her.

"Because I don't want it to," she said simply.

Lucius felt like his head was about to explode. Tossing his wand aside, he lunged at Adriana, hoping to get his hands around her neck. He stopped in midair, unable to get a hold of her. Adriana looked disapprovingly at him before releasing him. Lucius had clearly gone mad with anger, for the first thing he did when he could move, was lunge at her again. This time, when he froze, he felt a slap across his face though she never raised her hand towards him. Adriana narrowed her eyes at him, waited for a full minute and released him. The third time Lucius lunged at her, he bent over in pain, and slid off the sofa, coming to rest on the floor. He didn't know what she was doing, it wasn't a Cruciatus curse, it seemed to be Adriana's own personal blend of painful defensive spells. After several minutes, the pain subsided, yet Lucius remained on the floor.

Adriana saw that the third time was indeed the charm and slid off the sofa next to him. Leaning forward, she made careful eye contact with him. "You have many things to count towards yourself, Mr. Malfoy, but clearly, intelligence isn't one of them," she said slowly and deliberately. "Do you yield?"

Unable to bring himself to say anything, Lucius slowly nodded his head, an air of defeat surrounded him. Looking up at her as she sat back down on the sofa, he had a whole new respect for her. She was even more powerful than he had imagined. He couldn't wait to find out how she had gotten to be that way.

Adriana stood up from the floor and began walking towards the kitchen, "Would you like to stay for tea?" she called. Dragging himself to the side of the sofa, Lucius slowly pulled himself up to a standing position and walked into the room several steps behind her. He found a seat at the kitchen table and sat, resting himself, while Adriana was busy fixing the tea.

After several minutes, Adriana stood at the kitchen table and poured the tea while Lucius gazed at her. Distracted by his intensity, she poured boiling hot water over her hand by accident. Gasping and setting the teapot down, Adriana stood there, looking at the red mark growing on her left hand. Alarmed, Lucius jumped up, grabbed her by the wrist and gently led her to the kitchen sink. Turning on the cold water, Lucius put her hand under the cool stream. He stood next to her, put his other hand around her waist and held her close to him. Adriana showed no signs of resistance, but only stood there silently, with her eyes closed. He slowly slid his hand up over her shirt, the length of her body and stopped when he reached her breasts. They were just perfect, fitting in his hand, soft yet firm. He ran his thumb over the wrist of her injured hand, and entwined his fingers in hers. He bent down to her ear and nuzzled her for several moments before kissing her neck lightly.

Overcome with curiosity, he whispered, "You have such strong powers, you could heal this in a second, yet you don't. Why?"

Adriana's eyes opened wide. Looking up into Lucius's eyes, her heart fluttered. She pulled away from his embrace and walked back to the table, leaving him standing at the sink, soaking his black leather glove in the water. The spell had been broken. "Why do you always wear gloves? Even indoors?" Adriana asked, hoping to change the subject.

Lucius returned to his seat in silence, not answering her question. Adriana put a cup of tea in front of him and kept herself busy looking around the kitchen for things she didn't need. "Do you want any sugar?" she asked him.

"Yes, if you don't mind," he said politely.

Going to a cupboard, she took out a bowl of sugar and found a spoon. Pouring a couple of spoonfuls into the tea, she stirred it thoroughly before making her way to the sink and washing the spoon for a long time. Lucius put the cup to his lips and took a sip of the tea and nearly spat it out. Adriana had mistakenly put salt in the tea, not sugar. She stood at the sink with her back to him rambling on about the best way to make tea. "The key is to let the leaves steep for no longer than five minutes. And thoroughly strain the leaves afterwards. I hate it when the tea has leaves in it, don't you?"

Lucius was struggling to respond to her, for he was busy trying to drink without gagging or throwing up. Grimacing as he swallowed another mouthful, in a strained voice he responded, "Yes, I agree completely." Looking into his cup, he saw that he wasn't even halfway done yet, why did that cup have to be so large? Taking a deep breath, he took another mouthful of the horrid mixture and managed to swallow it. When he had finally finished it, Lucius thought he could do a victory dance, yet somehow managed to compliment her tea-making abilities instead.

Adriana turned around, leaning against the sink. She looked as though she was debating with herself before opening her mouth to speak. "Why did you come today?"

Clearing his throat, he stood up and walked around the kitchen. Coming next to her at the sink, he leaned back, standing side by side with her. "I just...wanted to see you again. I wanted to find out how you had gotten so powerful. I've never met anybody who could do magic without a wand."

"Well, it would take a lifetime for you to learn how I did that!" Adriana laughed airily.

"No, really, how did you do it?" Lucius looked at her earnestly.

"Practice," she responded simply.

At this time an owl flew to the kitchen window and fluttered outside it until she reached to the latch and opened it to let the bird in. "Hitchcock, hello!" she cooed at the owl who was bringing her a message. After untying the rolled parchment from his leg, Hitchcock flew back outside and out of sight.

Adriana unrolled the parchment and began to read. Chuckling, she rolled it back up and stuck it in her back pocket.

"Who was that from?" Lucius asked nonchalantly.

"Severus," Adriana replied. "We've been corresponding since we met at Hogwarts. He's such a sweetie. He likes sending me recipes for potions I should try."

"Oh, really? Severus, eh? Well, don't let me stand here and interrupt your important letter from Sevvy." Lucius looked put out as he started walking to the main hall to leave. Reaching the coat rack, he made a big show of putting his cape on and preparing to leave her house. Adriana walked up to him to see him out.

"Well it was good of you to stop by, Mr. Malfoy. Do come again if you're ever in the neighbourhood," Adriana said, acting the perfect hostess.

"Do you really mean that?" Lucius asked, looking slyly at her.

"Uh, I suppose so," Adriana said slowly. "But there are some ground rules that must be followed. If you agree to follow them, you are allowed to return, if not, then I will have enjoyed the one time you came to visit me."

"Ground rules?" Lucius asked cautiously.

"Your wand will never work while on my property. Also, I will assign you challenges which you must accomplish while you are here."

"What do you mean, challenges?"

"Well you don't expect to just sit around all the time when you're here do you?"

"What do I get if I do them?"

"I will answer one of your questions. If you do not want to ask a question then I'll think of some other type of reward."

"Like?"

"A kiss, perhaps?"

"I like that! Do I get a kiss today?"

"Well, you didn't do anything challenging, did you?"

Lucius remained silent for a moment, yet thought to himself, you didn't drink that tea, did you! Talk about a challenge!

Adriana opened the front door and the couple walked out onto the porch. Lucius walked to the first step and stepped down. She walked up to him, now they were face-to-face. "I suppose you did pay me a kindness today that was worthy of some type of reward." She placed her hands on Lucius's shoulders and drew her face closer to his. Smiling, she placed her lips on his cheek and gave him a very light, fluttery kiss, before pulling back to an arms-length width from him. "Well, good afternoon Mr. Malfoy, I'm sure we will meet again." With that, she turned and walked back into her house, shutting the door behind her.

"I'm sure we will," Lucius murmured to himself before turning and walking back down the lane to his car, grumbling about drinking awful tea and getting a mere brush on the cheek as payment, and driving away.


	7. A Lesson Learned

A Lesson Learned

Lucius's business kept him busy for the next couple of weeks and unable to see Adriana again. Finally, a free day presented itself in his schedule and he planned to take advantage of it. Waking up early, he dressed and prepared for the day. He was going to apparate to her house and eat breakfast with her. Then she could find something for them to do, one of her "Challenges". Lucius wondered what those would consist of, but wasn't too worried. Challenges were what he lived for.

It was half past eight in the morning when he arrived at Adriana's house. Knocking on the door, he waited much like the first time he'd visited. After several knocks without a response, Lucius detached his wand from his walking stick and was about to try opening the door when he remembered that it wouldn't work while he was there. Frustrated, he walked around the porch to the backside of the house. He took several minutes to take in the enormity of Adriana's property. The pond in the centre could easily house a yacht. The orchard, on whose trees the leaves were beginning to appear, seemed like a forest. At the far end was a large hill bearing one lone tree, of a kind he had never seen before.

Scanning the orchard, he saw something that caught his eye. Adriana was caught inside some type of net set between two trees, and there was no sign of movement from her. Alarmed, he walked quickly down to where she was. Once he made it to her, he saw that she was not in fact caught in midair, but lying on the net, asleep, peacefully. Relieved, Lucius looked at the sleeping figure in front of him. Even in sleep she was the most beautiful creature he'd ever laid eyes on. Dressed in draw-string plaid shorts and a black tank top, she lay on her side, with her face towards him. He thought about how easy it would be to crawl onto the net, next to her. She was asleep, unable to protest. He saw himself running his fingers through her hair, over the smooth skin of her face, and down her arms. How easy it would be to pull the draw-string of her shorts, and continue his fingers' journey to its final destination. Taking a step forward, he stopped short as the reality of the consequences flooded his mind. Not wanting to die a painful death, Lucius regained control of himself and pushed those ideas from his mind.

Instead, Lucius leaned down and whispered Adriana's name in her ear. There was no response. Taking a chance, he pressed his lips to hers, which were still warm from sleep, and kissed her. Adriana stirred but did not wake. In her stirring, her shirt twisted up her body and exposed her hip to Lucius. Grinning, Lucius brushed his gloved fingertips against the exposed skin, tickling her. Adriana squealed, hit his hand away from her, and her eyes fluttered open.

"MMMM. Go 'way...tired," she croaked. Clearly disoriented, Adriana looked around, trying to figure out where she was and why Lucius was standing next to her. "What day is it?"

"Tuesday," Lucius replied.

"What time is it?"

"Nine o'clock."

"In the morning?"

"Yes."

Blinking her eyes as she adjusted to the light, Adriana sat up and carefully got out of the hammock. After beginning to walk, she stumbling slightly, so Lucius grabbed her arm and helped her walk back to the house. "I went out here to look at the stars last night. I guess I fell asleep. What are you doing here?" Adriana sounded very grumpy. Clearly she was not a morning person.

"I had some free time so I thought I'd come and see you again," Lucius explained. "I thought I'd come over for breakfast."

"Well I have to take a shower first," Adriana replied. "I'm not even ready; it's too early to be awake."

Together they walked to the door of a room that Lucius hadn't been in yet. Opening it and walking in, he saw the bathroom. It was bright and light, yet much smaller than he was used to. She only had one sink! He couldn't see how anybody could function with less than three. Walking to her tub, Lucius turned the water on for her, trying to be as helpful as he possibly could. "Now you take a nice long bath, that'll wake you up. Do you want bubbles?"

Looking asleep on her feet, Adriana stood silently, until Lucius asked her more loudly. "No, no bubbles," she finally mumbled, walking to the tub. Without thinking, she started to pull her shirt over her head. Lucius watched with relish, hoping she would stay groggy like this all day. Stopping in mid-action, Adriana looked at Lucius, her eyes narrowing. "Hey... get out!" she barked at him, realizing what she'd almost done.

Lucius knew it had been too good to last, and turned to leave. He shut the door behind him and stood there for several minutes, listening to the running water and the sounds of Adriana splashing. Imagining what she looked like in the tub, he was interrupted by a loud singing voice singing on the other side of the door. "I'm gonna wash that man right outta my hair, I'm gonna wash that man right outta my hair, I'm gonna wash that man right outta my hair, and send him on his way..." Lucius got the message and left for the kitchen.

He thought about starting breakfast, but had no idea how to cook. Lucius had never even been in the kitchen of Malfoy Manor. Going to the fridge, he opened it to see what was there. It was full of foods he'd never seen or heard of before. "Coke", "Crisps", "Twinkies", what was all of this? Taking a "Coke", he looked at the can and pulled the tab up, breaking the seal and opening it. Putting it to his nose and smelling, he was surprised as bubbles in the can popped and splashed against his skin. Putting the can to his lips, he took a small sip. The bubbles popped against his tongue and a flavour impossible for him to describe filled his mouth. It tasted sweet, but good. He continued to drink the beverage until the can was empty.

Lucius walked around the kitchen, opening drawers and doors, seeing what she had to eat. He was hungry and didn't know how long he could wait until Adriana was done in the bathroom so she could make him breakfast.

After a while, Adriana emerged from the bathroom and entered the kitchen. "So what did you make for breakfast?" she asked.

"I don't cook! That's what servants are for," Lucius replied, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh, I see. Servants, eh?"

"Yes, servants," Lucius said.

"Ah, that's interesting," Adriana said.

"What is?" he asked suspiciously.

"Well, you rely so heavily on servants to do things for you. And you use magic for everything else. I was just wondering if you're capable of actually doing anything for yourself, or if you're completely dependant on others."

Anger flooded Lucius's veins. Turning an angry shade of white and glaring at Adriana, he managed to remain silent. She had backed him into a corner from which there was no easy way out. There was no answer he could give that didn't at least partially justify her statement.

"Do you think I'm your servant, Mr. Malfoy?" Adriana asked, so primly that she had to be seething with anger.

"Of course not. I was merely explaining why I didn't make breakfast," Lucius answered.

Walking to the fridge, she opened the door and began taking items out. "Come here," she barked at him. After Lucius walked to her, she shoved a package of bacon and a handful of eggs into his arms. She removed more food and put it into his hands, before walking to the stove and took several pans from under the counter. Lucius laid the items in his arms on the table and watched Adriana gather knives and plates and other cooking utensils.

"This is your challenge: I'm going to show you how to make breakfast. Then you will make it, and I will eat it, and it had better be good," she explained calmly as she went to a drawer and took something out of it and handed it to Lucius.

Lucius sighed with resignation. Opening up what she'd given him, he saw it was a white, frilly apron. Tying it around his waist, he realized he must look quite ridiculous, but was grateful for the meager protection from the dirty food.

Taking a bowl out of the cupboard, Adriana showed him how to crack an egg and pour it into the bowl. Lucius tried next, breaking the shell into the bowl and dropping the yolk on the floor. He scooped the shell out with a spoon and tried again, with more success. With a fork, he stirred the eggs carefully until they were well beaten.

Adriana opened the package of bacon and demonstrated to Lucius how to take the pieces out and lay them in the pan. With a pair of tongs, he took each piece out and put them in the pan.

Cutting two slices of bread from a loaf that she had made herself, Adriana showed Lucius how the toaster worked. She told him how to use the stove and watched as the bacon began to sizzle, giving off its delicious, smoky aroma. She explained to Lucius how to scramble the eggs and sat back to watch him try on his own. Stirring the eggs and turning the bacon, the food cooked quickly. The smoky aroma of bacon soon turned to actual smoke as it burned on the stove. Adriana set out two plates by the stove for Lucius. Grabbing the pan of bacon from the stove, he used the tongs to divide it between the plates. Next he turned to the eggs. The bottom half was scorched and the top half was runny. He divided those onto the plates as well. Finally Lucius took the toast out of the toaster. It had toasted to a nice dried-out, dark brown. Spreading butter over the pieces, he placed them on the plates as well. Adriana had put two glasses by the plates along with a pitcher of orange juice. Lucius poured juice into them without stirring it first. Picking them up, he placed them on the table. Returning to the counter, he took the plates to the table as well.

Sitting down across from Adriana, Lucius picked up his fork and took a bite of the eggs. Chewing carefully, his teeth ground a piece of eggshell. The runny eggs were lukewarm and gooey in his mouth. He grimaced and spat them out into his napkin. Taking a large sip of orange juice, Lucius was surprised at the watery liquid that barely tasted of oranges. "This is terrible, don't eat it!" he bellowed, grabbing onto Adriana's arm as her hand lifted the fork to her mouth. He was so angry, he'd tried his best, yet this was the result.

Adriana saw his frustration and couldn't bring herself to insult him, he looked so adorable with the apron around his waist. And he had tried his best. Standing up, she walked to the stove and quickly prepared another breakfast and in a few minutes, a perfectly cooked meal was put in front of him. He tasted the food as his should have tasted. "I've just had more practice than you, that's all," Adriana said, smiling kindly and looking into his eyes.

Lucius looked away from her, unable to meet her eyes. He had seen the pity in them. How dare she feel sorry for him? He felt so foolish, something he didn't think he'd ever felt in his life before. She had shown him up and was smiling about it? Unable to eat anymore, he pushed his plate away from him and stood up. Untying the apron from his waist, he threw it on the floor in anger, stomped to the backdoor, and walked onto the porch.

Adriana rolled her eyes and continued to eat her food. She understood he was frustrated, but didn't see why he had to act like such a baby about it. "Grow up," she muttered to herself. When she finished, she stood up, walked to the door, and looked out at Lucius. He was standing on the edge of the steps, hands on his hips, looking at the property.

"You still have a chance to pass this challenge, you know. The dishes need to be washed," Adriana called to him.

Turning around, Lucius was glad to see that not a trace of pity was left on her face. The chance of winning the challenge was appealing to him; he returned to the kitchen and picked up the apron, tying it around his waist once again. Adriana explained how the stopper in the sink and the soap worked and under her close eye, drew a nice foamy bath for the dishes. After carefully scraping the rest of the food into the dust bin, Lucius placed the dishes into the water. Putting rubber gloves over his leather ones, he picked up a scrubbing pad and went to work. Carefully cleaning and rinsing each dish or utensil, Lucius put them on the drying rack and managed to make it through the ordeal without dropping or breaking anything.

Adriana assisted in drying the dishes and side-by-side, they worked together. She brushed her shoulder against his arm, pointed her towel at the glass Lucius was drying and said, "Oh, you missed a spot."

Looking carefully at the glass, he asked, "Where?"

"There," Adriana said, hitting him lightly on the chin with her towel and giggling.

Carefully setting down the glass, Lucius looked at her seriously and asked, "Now, why did you do that? I've been working very hard, and here you are goofing off."

"Oh, come on! Loosen up! You're the most uptight man I've ever met, and I've met quite a few men in my time!"

"Really, how many men would that be?" Lucius asked, a small smile dawning on his face.

"A million," she replied.

"Oh? And how many of those did you sleep with?" Lucius asked boldly.

"Ah! I can't believe you asked me that! What if I slept with all of them?"

"I suppose I wouldn't mind as long as I get to be counted among them," Lucius grinned at Adriana, grabbing her towel and pulling her towards himself.

Laughing, she looked up at Lucius, but stopped short and cleared her throat. "Well, Mr. Malfoy, I believe you passed this challenge. Your cooking skills will improve with practice, I can assure you. I suppose I should give you your reward now," Adriana said, looking uncomfortable suddenly.

Lucius was both excited and disappointed. He liked the prospects of his reward, yet had wanted to spend the day with her, but he knew she'd make him leave afterwards. "You don't really have to...I mean I burnt the food," he said slowly.

"No, no, you did a good job, for the most part, and a deal is a deal," Adriana said, stepping closer to him. Taking a deep breath, she put her hands on his shoulders and stood on her toes to reach his face. Closing her eyes, she pressed her lips to his for about a second before pulling back and opening her eyes wide. Her heart pounded against her ribcage and she began to feel slightly light-headed.

"Well, thank you for stopping by Mr. Malfoy. Do you know when you might visit again?" Adriana's voice wavered as she spoke, in spite of her best efforts to stay calm.

"I might have time next week I believe," Lucius responded.

"Well, then I will look forward to seeing you again."

Lucius untied the apron around his waist and placed it in Adriana's shaking hands. Walking to her front door, he saw himself out before apparating back to Malfoy Manor.

Adriana looked at the apron in her hands and bemoaned her behaviour. How could she have acted like that? Like a silly school girl with a crush on him. She hated this feeling, hated not being able to control it. She was much too old to act like that. And besides, he was a married man, not happily, but still married. But, try as she might, Lucius Malfoy had an effect on her she wished he did not.

"Next week," she said to herself, a smile growing on her face.

A/N: Song lyrics are from the musical South Pacific.


	8. Caught In A Trap

Caught In A Trap

Next week came and went and Lucius did not come. The week after that resulted in the same disappointing end. Adriana felt silly that she would be so upset at not seeing him. She was sure Lucius hadn't given her a second thought, yet she couldn't help waking up each morning without hoping that that day would be the day he came again.

Finally one day, Lucius showed up at Adriana's house. He made sure it was well after breakfast time, yet still early enough for a full day with her. When she didn't answer the door, he walked around to the back again, to see if she was outside. The barn door was open and the sounds of Adriana and animals came from there.

Walking over to it, Lucius was disgusted at what he saw. Dressed in blue overalls that completely hid her beautifully shaped body, Adriana was helping one of the sheep give birth. She was covered in blood and other things Lucius didn't want to think about. Standing in the doorway, he watched as Adriana finished up with the sheep and made sure the lamb was healthy and being taken care of by its mother.

Standing up and turning around, she was startled by Lucius and momentarily taken aback. Adriana was pleased to see him again, yet was sure as hell not going to let him know that. She was tired of him having power over her, it was time to turn the tables on him.

"How good of you to stop by again, Mr. Malfoy," she said, holding out her hand to shake his in greeting. Lucius looked horrified at the thought of touching her when she was that dirty and kept a healthy distance from her. Smiling to herself, she led the way back to her house.

Lucius sat in Adriana's living room while she took a shower to clean up. He picked up a book that had been lying on the coffee table and flipped through the pages. "The Phantom of the Opera", a story about a horribly ugly man who thought he could somehow get together with a beautiful young girl. _What a loser_, Lucius thought to himself. A few minutes later, Adriana came into the room, wrapped in a bathrobe, and stood at the other end of the couch.

She looked at Lucius, scrutinizing everything about him, looking for something to harp on. "Those clothes, they won't do," Adriana said slowly, looking at his typical black ensemble as though seeing it for the first time.

"Why not?" Lucius asked, automatically looking down at his clothes.

"If you want to fit in while you're here, you have to dress like a Muggle. You do not blend in well," Adriana explained.

Lucius sat silently thinking for a minute before speaking. If she wanted him to fit in better, then she wanted him to be with her. Excited and proud at deciphering her true feelings for him, he spoke, "Does that mean you want me to be here? With you? You know, as in together?" he gestured to Adriana and himself.

Her eyes grew wide as she tried to think of a good response to that. "Well, not together, or at least not yet. Maybe not ever. I'll have to try you out for a while, see how you do. I don't want to waste my time with you if I can do better," Adriana said, watching Lucius's expression grow more and more angry. "I mean why should I have to settle for second best?" Adriana was thoroughly enjoying this now.

"What do you mean, second best?" Lucius asked through clenched teeth.

"You're a married man, Mr. Malfoy. Why should I settle for your wife's used goods when I could probably find better anywhere I looked?" Adriana explained, her voice harsh and cold.

Lucius was dumbfounded. Nobody had ever dared to speak to him that way in his entire life. Who did this girl think she was anyway?

"So, anyway," Adriana began, changing the subject abruptly, "We need to go shopping, get you some new clothes. That will be the challenge, to find you a few good outfits to wear when you come over. Just let me run and change my clothes, all right?" With that she turned to one of the rooms Lucius hadn't been in yet and closed the door.

_So that's her bedroom_, he thought to himself while standing there alone. _Maybe I'll see the inside tonight!_ Several minutes later Adriana stepped out of the room and walked up to him.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

Lucius stared at her. "You're not wearing _that_ are you?" he asked bluntly. Adriana was dressed in a short blue miniskirt and matching halter top, and wore sandals on her feet.

"Yes, I am. What's wrong with it?" she asked defensively.

"Well, you can't dress like that in public. It's all right when we're here and I'm the only one around, but other people will see you."

"By 'people', do you mean men?"

"Well, yes. It isn't proper," Lucius stood at his fullest height, folding his arms, as though laying down the law.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, but this will be an excellent opportunity for you to get over it." With that Adriana closed the subject and walked to the door, opening it. As Lucius was half way through the door, she turned around and said, "You can leave your wand here, you won't be needing it." Closing his eyes for a second, Lucius decided it wasn't worth a fight, and propped his walking stick against the wall of the front hallway and walked outside again.

As the two walked outside, another argument began over who would drive the car. "This is ridiculous, you don't even know how to drive," Adriana said at one point.

"It doesn't seem so hard, I'll figure it out, no problem," Lucius said as they approached her car. A cherry red 1930's style two-door Sedan gleamed in the sunlight. Lucius noticed that the steering wheel was on the wrong side, left, instead of right. Walking to the driver's side, he stood by the door for her to unlock it.

"You are not driving this car. Maybe some time I'll give you driving lessons, but not today, I'm not in the mood. Flynn's a very temperamental car and not just anybody can drive him," Adriana shoved Lucius out of the way and unlocked the door before sitting behind the wheel. Lucius walked around to the passenger's side and sat down, huffily.

The store Adriana wanted to go to was about an hour away from her farm. The two pleasantly bantered the entire way, arguing about everything under the sun, including big issues like the Ministry of Magic and its role in the average wizard's life, to small issues, like the shape of the clouds in the sky. "It's a broomstick," Lucius said loudly, pointing at the cloud.

"For the last time, it's a rake!" Adriana shouted.

About half way through the trip, Lucius asked her where she had gotten the car. It looked nothing like any other Muggle car he'd ever seen. Adriana cleared her throat, and looked out the window. "Oh, I collect antiques, you know, cars, clothes, men..." she responded nonchalantly.

"Humph. And you named it? Who's Flynn?" Lucius asked.

"Errol Flynn. A very beautiful actor, one of my very favourites," Adriana explained patiently.

"Really, well, I'd like to meet this Flynn guy sometime," Lucius said.

When they had reached the village, Adriana found a parking space and stopped the car. Together they walked to the store. The neon green sign shone in the daylight, "Johnny Bravo's Retro Clothing Shoppe," Lucius read. Raising his eyebrows, he looked at Adriana questioningly, as if to ask if this was indeed the correct store. Adriana opened the door and led the two inside.

The store was small but filled with all sorts of Muggle clothes. Pants, shirts, skirts, dresses, shoes, all assigned to a different time period. The two wandered the aisles and looked carefully at all the clothes. The store was decorated with things Lucius had never heard of. Something called "Tiki" decorations covered the walls. Palm trees, coconuts, and swaying hula dancers, both male and female (Lucius especially liked those), filled the store. Lucius looked for those hula outfits, to see if Adriana would wear one, but didn't find any. Adriana kept piling clothes into his arms, until she came to a pair of shiny black leather pants. "Why don't you try these on, they might be fun to wear?" she said, trying not to laugh.

Lucius looked skeptically at the pants, not sure what to make of them. They would look good, if they fit just right. "I don't know, they're so shiny. They don't look the right size anyway," he replied.

"Oh, try them on anyway, just for fun then." Her enthusiasm was infectious and soon Lucius was walking behind her with the pants in his arms, along with all the other clothing.

Trying to make small talk, Adriana told Lucius about her latest letter from Snape. He had sent her a recipe for a potion to keep her skin looking young and healthy, and she wanted to try it out sometime. Lucius really didn't want to hear about Snape and hated the idea that he was thinking about Adriana's skin. Lucius had the feeling that more than just recipe exchanging was going on between those two, and the thought of that made him sick. They walked in silence for a while, listening to the music. A new song began that Adriana hummed along with:

"We're caught in a trap  
I can't walk out  
Because I love you too much baby

Why can't you see  
What you're doing to me  
When you don't believe a word I say?

We can't go on together  
With suspicious minds  
And we can't build our dreams  
On suspicious minds..."

"Ah, Elvis, they just don't make singers like him anymore. He was amazing, have you ever heard any of his music before?" Adriana asked, a smile on her face as though she was remembering some happy moment of the past.

"No, I can't say I have," Lucius answered.

"Oh well, there's time to educate you in the important things in life yet," Adriana said as they walked over to the dressing rooms. Finding the largest stall, Lucius stepped into it with all of the clothes to try on. Adriana sat in a chair outside so he could show the outfits to her. Every few minutes, Lucius would step out and show her a new outfit; he enjoyed watching her look at him. Many of the outfits looked very good on him, but some did not. Paisley didn't go well with his skin tone, but the 1950's James Dean outfit was a very good look for him. The pile of untried clothing dwindled over the course of an hour or so, until the last item, the pair of shiny leather pants, was left.

Lucius went back into the room to try them on, and after several minutes with not reemerging, Adriana began to wonder what was going on. She heard inaudible mutterings and thumping noises from inside the room and stood up to move to the door. "Lucius, is everything all right?" she asked, sounding concerned. A muffled whisper came from the other side of the door that Adriana couldn't decipher. "What? I couldn't hear you."

"The pants, I can't get them off," Lucius said in a strained, small voice. The thumping noises started up again.

"What do you mean you can't get them off?" she asked.

"I mean, they won't come off. They're too small and they're stuck," Lucius replied, anger growing in his voice.

"Do you want me to come in?" she asked.

From the other side, the door opened a crack, to allow Adriana entrance to the small room. She quickly entered the room and shut the door again behind her. What she saw took every effort in her to stop her from laughing out loud at his plight. The pants were at least two sizes too small and seem to have grafted themselves onto his legs. Unable to move properly, Lucius had hobbled and hopped around the small room, trying to inch his way out of the pants, but with no luck.

Lucius could barely hold back the anger and humiliation he felt over his predicament. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this, this is the stupidest idea you have ever come up with. 'Why don't you try these on, they might be fun to wear?'" Lucius quoted in a high-pitched, snide voice. "Honestly, I can't believe I let you talk me into this!"

Adriana had felt sorry for him, but now had grown angry at his comment about her idea being stupid. She thought about how strange things could be whenever she was with Lucius. One moment they were happy and getting along fine, and the next, they were fighting and it felt as though anger was the only emotion she was capable of feeling. _How dare he?_ she thought to herself, stepping closer to him. "Do you want help or not?" she asked coldly.

"Oh, by all means, I'm sure you can't screw it up any worse than you already have," Lucius replied.

Bending over, Adriana angrily tugged on Lucius's pants to get them off his legs. Losing his balance, he toppled over onto the floor, taking Adriana with him. Together they lay in a heap on the floor of the dressing room. Adriana was on top, with her arms around Lucius's chest, holding herself up. Pulling herself up to a kneeling position, she moved down to his legs to pull the pants off. Tugging for several minutes finally freed Lucius from the much too small clothing. Flexing his legs to get the circulation flowing once again, he remained on the floor.

Adriana knelt at his side and folded up the discarded clothes. She felt his hand touch her knee and travel up the length of her thigh, caressing her smooth skin. In spite of her frustration at Lucius, her heart began to pound as desire overwhelmed her. She gasped quietly as his hand disappeared under her skirt. His fingers deftly slipped behind her undergarments, and into her.

As Lucius proceeded to pleasure her, Adriana couldn't help but feel angered that he had this power over her. She knew he had no respect for her. Another part of her still felt ashamed that she would feel this way for a married man. She should have better control over her emotions by now, yet they always seemed to betray her, no matter how long she tried to suppress them. But his ministrations were too powerful to ignore.

Just as she was about to climax, she quickly pushed his hand away from her. When she'd caught her breath, she moved to kneel over him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Pressing her face to his, she kissed him fiercely. Lucius put his arms around her waist and gently pulled her down on top of him again. They kissed deeply, their tongues entwining. With a few deft moves, Adriana had slipped both Lucius's, and her own undergarments off and straddled his legs. She wrapped her hand around his hardness. He moaned into her neck while she repaid the pleasure he had given her. A couple minutes later, she stopped, and moved to a position over him. This was a point of no return, and Adriana thought she was ready, but stopped, unable to go any further. Staring at Lucius, she felt fear take over her body, not allowing her to fulfill her desire.

Lucius sat on the floor, looking at Adriana, light-headed as parts of his body throbbed uncontrollably. He wished that she would get over her shyness, or modesty, or whatever was holding her back. More than anything, he wanted to throw her on the floor and make love to her. He wanted to make her cry out with pleasure. He was hardly a virgin and had made many women before Adriana cry out, but never from pleasure.

Standing up suddenly, Adriana pulled her clothes back on. Struggling over the tears of frustration and humiliation that filled her eyes, she reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet, took out several pound notes and threw them on Lucius's chest as he remained on the floor. "Use these to buy your clothes with," her voice coldly instructed him before she walked to the door of the dressing room and left, leaving Lucius reeling and confused. Walking out of the store and making her way back to the car, Adriana quickly got in and drove away, leaving Lucius to take care of himself.

Chapter References: Johnny Bravo- taken from an episode of the Brady Bunch entitled, "Adios, Johnny Bravo".

"Suspicious Minds", sung by Elvis Presly, written by Mark James.


	9. The First Year Ends

The First Year Ends

Lucius was on the floor of the dressing room, with money on his chest, as Adriana left the store. He had gotten so close, SO close, this time. Lucius sat on the floor for several minutes, thinking of unattractive things until he was ready to attempt standing up again. He stood up slowly, and gingerly put his own clothes back on, before gathering the new clothes and money Adriana had "given" him, and walked out of the dressing room.

Lucius laid the clothing on the sales counter while the clerk added up the total. Adriana had left him an ample amount of money, which he handed to the clerk in a large handful. He didn't know how Muggle money worked, nor did he care. The clerk handed him his change and the bag of clothes and Lucius left the store, on his own for the first time, to find his way back to Adriana's house, without the use of magic.

Lucius couldn't help feeling sorry for himself. The little tease had left him to get back to her house by himself. He had no idea how to do that. The only thing he knew was what he wanted to do to Adriana when he saw her again. The thought of asking a Muggle for assistance was almost too much for him to bear, yet he knew it was only a matter of time. This was the largest town they had passed on the way over, so Lucius assumed this was his best chance of getting help. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a restaurant with a few Muggles in it. Turning to walk towards it, Lucius mentally prepared to take yet another step below his station in life.

Adriana drove home recklessly fast, yet managed to not see another soul along the way. Tears streamed down her face as she relived the humiliating scene over and over again in her mind. She hated Lucius, who was only looking at her as a bit on the side, nothing more than his whore; she hated his wife, who obviously took her husband for granted and didn't realize what a good thing she had; she hated his son, who received Lucius's attention and devotion, but mostly, she hated herself, for allowing herself to fall for this man who didn't deserve her in the least. _Damn it, DAMN IT!_, she thought to herself. She was weak and couldn't overcome it.

It took far less than an hour to reach her home. Parking her car in the drive way, Adriana ran into the house and locked the door behind her. Making her way to the bathroom, she turned on the shower and stood there as steaming hot water poured out of the showerhead. Taking her clothes off slowly, she stepped into the water and stood there, letting the shame and pain of the day drain away. She stood there for over an hour, letting the hot water wash over her, until her skin was bright pink and burning.

Finally, turning off the water and stepping out of the shower, Adriana wrapped herself in a towel and walked to the bedroom to change into shorts and a tank top. As she left the room, Lucius's walking stick caught her eye. A feeling of dread gnawed at her stomach. He'd be coming back for it. Standing before it, she stared blankly for several minutes before walking to her writing desk in the living room and finding a piece of paper and a pen. After quickly writing a note, she taped it to the stick before opening the door and tossing it outside, letting it land wherever it would. Slamming the door and locking it behind her, she walked out to the back and left the house.

Barefoot, Adriana walked up her hill, sitting under the lone olive tree at the very top. She sat in silence and looked down on the other side of her property from above. A small wheat field lay at the bottom and next to it a working windmill. She tried to empty her mind of all emotion and move on from there. But always her thoughts returned to Lucius.

Lucius looked around the restaurant before deciding what to do. "Welcome to McDonald's" he read on the large menu with pictures of food to choose from. Bright colours attacked him from all sides and a frighteningly stupid-looking red-haired clown smiled at him from the corner. _I always knew those Weasleys would amount to greatness some day_, he thought to himself, sneering.

He couldn't believe Muggles actually lived this way. He didn't see why Adriana chose willingly to live this life; it was almost as if she preferred it this way. How could the most powerful person he knew want to live a life without magic? Not only wouldn't she sleep with him, he was still unable to find out anything about her. He wanted to know where her powers came from, for he wanted them for himself. He still saw her as the key to his rise to succession over Voldemort.

Snapping himself out of his thoughts, Lucius walked to the counter and hailed the first person he saw, over to him. A young girl of about twenty or so years, walked to him. "If I was trying to get somewhere, but I didn't have a car, how would you suggest I get there?" he asked.

The girl looked at him like he was insane. "How far away is it?"

Lucius had no idea how far away Adriana's house was. "It took an hour to drive here."

"That's much too far to walk. You should take a taxi," the girl suggested helpfully.

"Ah yes, a taxi..." Nodding his head knowingly, Lucius didn't know what a taxi was and couldn't suffer the humiliation of asking what one was.

"You could ring a taxi, and they'd come pick you up," the girl explained, when she realized he had no idea what she was talking about.

"Ah yes, ring..." Nodding again. Yet another thing Lucius knew nothing about.

Sighing, the girl asked, "Would you like me to ring you a taxi?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful!" Lucius flashed her a smile of gratitude. He realized she wasn't too bad looking and remained as suave as possible while she disappeared to ring his taxi. He loved having other people do things for him. When the girl returned, Lucius leaned across the counter, until he was very close to her face. Putting on all his charms, he asked, "So, just how big are the Big Macs?"

The girl's eyes grew large and she backed away slowly from Lucius. "Your taxi will be here shortly, you can wait for it outside," she said before walking away from him, the second girl who had left him high and dry that day.

As Lucius walked out the door, a woman and her small child were leaving the restaurant. The child, a boy about four years old, was holding a cup. As he brushed past Lucius, the cup toppled out of his hand and spilled a thick, brown, cold substance all over his legs. The boy started to scream over his loss and the woman picked him up, while glaring at Lucius, as though it had been his fault. Brushing off what he could of the sticky mess all over him, Lucius walked back to get some napkins to try and clean himself up more.

Walking out of the restaurant completely, this time without any incident, Lucius kept an eye out for the taxi. After about ten minutes, a black car pulled up. The driver rolled down the window and called out to Lucius, asking if he'd ordered the taxi. Lucius nodded and stepped forward, getting into the back seat. The driver asked where he needed to go, and Lucius gave him Adriana's address. The driver looked startled at how far away it was, but drove off anyway.

Lucius sat in silence, thinking about Adriana. He wanted her so badly; the scent of the vanilla perfume she wore was constantly in his mind. He couldn't get away from it. All he saw when he was awake or asleep was her. Ever since he had met her, she had been there, her eyes boring into his soul, making him want to tell her things about himself he'd never told anybody before. His thoughts were of Adriana for the entire taxi ride back to her house.

When the taxi pulled up to Adriana's driveway, Lucius gave the driver all the money he had left and got out of the car. Luckily it was enough. The taxi drove away, leaving Lucius standing in the front yard, gazing at the house. Pulling himself together, he started walking over to the porch. As he did so, he saw something lying in the dust of the front walk. A closer look showed it to be his wand. She had thrown it out of the house! That bitch! Bending down to pick it up, Lucius saw there was a piece of paper attached to it. Tearing it off, he slowly read the letter, turning ever paler with anger with each successive paragraph:

Lucius,

I wish I could be more like you. You go after what you want in this life without any care of the consequences. Your level of selfishness is unmatched by any other human on this planet. You walk through life as though you're God's gift to the world, taking from people whatever you want, no matter who you hurt.

Your family must miss seeing you, I suggest you spend the summer holiday with them. You must miss your lovely wife, and the son you never see, even when he is home, I'd be willing to bet.

If you wish to continue to visit me, return at the beginning of the next school year, after your son returns to Hogwarts. Perhaps I will have learned to be a selfish bitch, just like the bastard you are, in a few months time.

-Adriana

P.S. You owe me ninety Muggle pounds for the clothes.

P.P.S. Don't be surprised if something funny happens the next time you use your wand to cleanse yourself.

P.P.P.S. But then again, don't be surprised if it doesn't.

Lucius read the note a couple of times before marching up her stairs to the front door and banging loudly on it. Predictably, there was no response. Stomping around to the back porch, he walked around the property, looking for Adriana.

Adriana still sat beneath the olive tree at the top of the hill, yet Lucius couldn't see her. She listened to him stomping and traipsing around her yard, feeling safe, for she had made herself invisible to him. Watching as he walked up the hill, closer to her, she stayed as quiet as she could. Even though he couldn't hear her either, her instincts told her to stay as still and silent as possible. Adriana's magic allowed her to remain unseen or heard by Lucius, for as long as she wished. She sat looking up at Lucius, who was no more than six inches from her, as he looked down on the other side of her property for the first time, without seeing any sign of her at all.

With a frustrated growl, Lucius turned around, walked back down the hill, and left the property. Adriana allowed him to apparate home without any complications, and didn't see him again for a very long time.


	10. Farmer Boy

Year 2

Book3

Farmer Boy

The summer holiday had passed slowly for both Lucius and Adriana. As soon as Hogwarts let out, Adriana had invited Severus to visit her at the house for a couple of weeks. He ended up staying the entire holiday. They had a lot of fun and got to know each other very well, yet Adriana missed seeing Lucius. Yet at the same time, she wasn't ready to see him again. He had tried to contact her several times over the holiday, but she had never responded to his letters. He had sent her gifts a couple of times, including a house elf, to "help with the chores of farming" that her "delicate hands were not suited for". She had sent the elf back to Malfoy Manor without a response. Lucius hadn't sent anything since then.

Lucius had been stuck at his home for the holiday with Narcissa and Draco. Every day had felt like a month, and he actually counted down the days until Draco returned to Hogwarts so he could go back to Adriana. He took the time away from her to plan on how to find out about her powers. He thought about the challenges she presented to him. If he passed, he felt that he should choose his own reward. So, whenever he passed a challenge, he planned on asking her a question about herself that she would have to answer truthfully. Lucius felt his plan was quite brilliant and that lifted his spirits for several days. He was in such a good mood that he spoke to Draco at the breakfast table, a first in Lucius's recollections. He was upset every time he tried to contact her that went unanswered. The rejection of the house elf had been a signal to him to stop trying anymore.

Adriana knew school was starting in a week and Lucius would hopefully return to her. Her heart fluttered when she thought of seeing him once again. Not since Albus had she had feelings like this for a man, and she liked it. She thought fondly of those happy years, yet the memories were bittersweet, for he was much older now, than the man she remembered him to have been. She hated opening herself up to another person, for she knew it only meant great pain later on, as had happened before, and would only continue. As powerful as Adriana was, Lucius had a hold over her, and she knew it would only be a matter of time before she opened herself to him and told him everything about her life. She resolved herself to the pain that would come one day, and to be able to enjoy the pleasure available to her while she could.

The minute the train pulled away from King's Cross Station, heading towards Hogwarts, Lucius apparated to Adriana's house. There was a nervousness and excitement between the two as they exchanged pleasantries. Adriana thought she'd been ready for him, but seeing Lucius for the first time in so long, had brought back all her defensiveness. Shaking his hand, she said, "Mr. Malfoy, I hope you had a pleasant holiday."

Lucius had been trying to pull her into a hug, but Adriana pulled herself out of his grasp. "When are you going to start calling me Lucius?" he asked, frustrated.

"Why should I call you by your first name?" Adriana asked primly.

"Because that's what friends do," Lucius explained patiently.

"Are we friends? I had no idea," Adriana replied, smiling at him.

"Well, I am hurt, I had counted you among my dearest of friends," Lucius said lightly, reaching out and grabbing her hand once again.

Adriana didn't respond, but didn't try to remove her hand from his either. She looked into his eyes and felt herself giving into him, as she took a step closer to him. She couldn't let that happen. She sent a shock, like a mild static electrical shock into the hand that held hers. Lucius pulled his hand away from her and shook it to make the pain dissipate.

Scowling at her, Lucius stepped away from her and began to walk towards the back of the property. Adriana followed him at a relatively safe distance and brushed his arm as she stood next to him after he stopped in the middle of the yard. "This is the challenge for the day, working on the farm. We need to milk the cow and pick apples. The harvest is ready and they have to be picked as soon as possible. I've already done the five trees behind you, but there are still ten more trees to be picked. But, first we have to go milk the cow. Too bad you didn't bring any of your new clothes today, you'll have to work in that," Adriana said, pointing to Lucius's pristine, black outfit.

With that she headed over to the barn and opened the door. Lucius followed behind her and saw the cow as soon as he walked inside. It stood in a stall with a stool next to it and a bucket underneath it. It was huge! And he couldn't even describe the terrible smell. The thought of touching that beast was horrifying. Adriana looked at him with a huge smile on her face. She couldn't believe the amount of pleasure she was getting from seeing Lucius like this.

"Well, milking cows isn't too hard, once you get the hang of it. First you need to sit down on the stool right next to the cow," Adriana explained. Lucius reluctantly sat down; he couldn't believe he was doing this. "Good, now, grab onto the teat and squeeze it and pull down gently at the same time, aiming for the bucket," Adriana tried her best not to laugh at the look on Lucius's face as she told him this. "I mean really, it's not that difficult. And it isn't as though you've never done it before, just not to a cow." Adriana laughed at her joke as though it was the funniest thing she'd ever heard in her life. "I'll tell you what, will it help if you imagine it's me?" She laughed again. The look of horror on Lucius's face was priceless, which made her laugh all the more harder. She laughed for several minutes, until she had to wipe tears out of her eyes.

Lucius was still reluctant to try. Adriana tried another tactic. "You've never actually worked in your life before, have you? Ever! Have you ever broken into a sweat?"

Lucius opened his mouth to respond when Adriana interrupted him, "I mean, in a situation that didn't involve sex?"

Lucius shut his mouth again and remained silent.

Narrowing her eyes at Lucius, she tried one last approach, "A _real_ man wouldn't be afraid of a stupid animal like that, but I suppose I'll have to keep looking for one to milk her," Adriana sighed, sounding sad at the prospect of searching for another person.

That did the trick. Without looking at Adriana, Lucius reached his hand out to the cow's teat and touched it. Resolving himself to the task literally at hand, he put his hand around it, and gently squeezed and pulled down simultaneously. A thin stream of milk came out of it and landed right on his 100 dragon-skin shoes. Lucius was alarmed, they had cost him a pretty knut, and two baby dragons had been slaughtered to make them! Leaning down and brushing them off, he started up again, taking better aim this time. The second attempt landed in the bucket with a satisfying tinkling sound. Looking up and smirking at Adriana, he set about to his task and completed it with a perfection that she attributed to beginner's luck. She made Lucius carry the bucket of milk into the house when he was done, where she set it aside to separate.

"Great, now we can pick apples. You might like that more, it's much cleaner than milking cows. Come on, farmer boy!" Adriana said, walking out the back door. Together they walked to the orchard where empty baskets lay idly under the trees. Adriana picked up a basket and walked to a tree and began to pluck the ripe apples off the branches and put them in the basket. Lucius took a deep breath and picked up a basket. He stood so close next to her that their arms touched. Adriana rolled her eyes and silently floated up to the top of the tree, out of Lucius's reach. Picking an apple, Adriana lobbed it at his head and laughed as he yelled up at her. She remained afloat, filling her basket from the top of the tree while Lucius silently worked on the bottom branches.

After about an hour, Lucius gazed up at Adriana, looking closely at her. She had gotten very tan over the holiday. Her olive-toned skin had turned a very attractive brown. Her black hair shone in the sun, he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. She wore blood red, very short shorts and a matching halter top, and had a bare midriff. He was in heaven! He could have stared at her all day long and not gotten tired of her.

Overcome with curiosity, he took the opportunity to ask, "You don't use a broom! How do you do that?"

Adriana stopped picking apples and looked down at Lucius. Looking thoughtful, she smiled and said, "Practice".

They picked apples for a couple more hours and then stopped for a break. Adriana went to the kitchen and brought out a pitcher of lemonade and fresh tomato sandwiches for lunch. Together they sat on the porch swing, eating and drinking to their hearts' content, rocking gently and looking over the property.

Lucius reached into his inner cape pocket and pulled out a small object. Things had been peaceful for about fifteen minutes, longer then they ever had been before. Reaching carefully over to Adriana, he gently wrapped his fingers around hers. They sat for several more minutes in silence. Adriana looked down at one point and noticed that he'd slipped a bracelet over her hand, yet somehow she'd never felt it. It was beautiful. Sleek and silver, two coils of metal intertwined over one another. Her heart raced as she looked at it, and she squeezed his hand in response. Lucius looked at her and smiled.

Feeling overwhelmed, she sat up straight, cleared her throat, and said, "So, what did you do over the holiday?"

Knowing the moment had been broken, Lucius cleared his throat and replied, "Well, what did you do? I'm sure you had a much more interesting holiday than I did."

"Well, Sev stayed here for the entire time, and we had so much fun! We tested potions and spent hours getting to know each other. He's such a sensitive man, with a great soul. We stayed up all night a few times, just lying on my bed, talking.

"And did you know he has such pale skin! I've never seen skin as white as his, so I tried to get him to sit in the sun for a while, I even lathered his whole body in sun screen, but it didn't work! He's just as pale as ever.

"And I taught him to dance too. He really is quite graceful on his feet, some of his moves...Well, let's just say he has nothing to worry about!

"And there was this one time, we'd had a little too much red wine with dinner, and I have no idea how we ended up in the pond, but the water was so cold. And somehow, my top came off! It was so funny, Sev thought so too. But he helped me get my top back on, although it was inside out, but I was too pissed to care! And there was this one time-"

"I told you you weren't supposed to see that man anymore!" Lucius exploded, jumping up and standing in front of her. "And now I hear he's been living with you? Sharing your bed! Skinny dipping! You slut!"

Adriana gasped. "Slut! How dare you call me a slut! You're the one cheating on your wife! I've read your blue book! You're a man-whore! Maybe I invited Sev to stay with me because I didn't want to be your bit on the side! He's attentive to my needs and desires! He's more man than you'll ever be!" she screamed at him.

Lucius paled more than he ever had before in his entire life. "Did you sleep with him?" he screamed.

"What if I did?"

"Did you?"

"That's none of your business!"

Lucius stepped closer to her and raised his arm to strike her, but bent over in pain as Adriana struck first, without moving a muscle. While Lucius remained hunched over, Adriana took the bracelet off her wrist and threw it on the ground, at his feet. "I don't want your gifts! You will not brand me as your property!" she screamed at him.

Adriana let up on the pain she was causing Lucius, who was then able to stand up again. Both were fuming and poised for attack. Turning on her heel, Adriana walked into the house and disappeared for several minutes, before returning with her arms full of rolled up throw rugs. She walked over to the clothesline by the side of the house and hung the rugs on the line. Walking back over to Lucius, she handed him a stick that she'd been holding among the rugs. With a stick of her own, she walked over to the hanging rugs and began beating them. "You have one last challenge to pass today: Help me with these. If you do, I'll reward you, if you don't, I won't! Those are your choices," she yelled at him as he stood on the porch glaring at her.

Lucius slowly walked over to the rugs and looked at the stick in his hand. "Pretend it's my head!" Adriana suggested. Lucius raised his eyebrows and smiled, then began beating the hell out of the rug in front of him.

Together they beat the rugs, the only sound was the rhythmic thumping of the sticks. After a half hour of beating, the two were exhausted, hot, sweaty, and covered in dust. Out of breath, the two stared at one another, silently. "Well, you managed to break into an honest sweat today, that's worth a reward. So what'll it be?" Adriana asked.

"A question, and you have to answer it truthfully," Lucius said, still catching his breath.

"What is it?"

"How did you become so powerful?"

Adriana looked thoughtful while she tried to find a good answer. Instead of answering him, she walked up to him, placed her hands on his face and pulled him down to hers. She pressed her lips to his and kissed him, letting her tongue entwine with his. She ran her fingers from his shoulders, down his chest, to his waist, where she wrapped her arms around him, resting her hands on his backside. Pressing herself against him, she felt his Prince Albert stir against her stomach. She no longer feared being this close to him, for as long as she kept him happy, she didn't have to answer his questions.

Lucius had been upset that she hadn't answered his question, but only for a few seconds. After that, he only felt pleasure at her touches and kisses. He wrapped his arms around her and they remained embraced for what felt like hours, but had only been several minutes in reality. Even though they had done more in the dressing room of the store last spring, this felt like a step forward in their relationship.

When Adriana felt sure he had forgotten his question, she gently unwrapped herself from Lucius, and caught her breath. Lucius knew it was time to go for the day, and prepared to leave. "So, when will you be coming over again?" she asked.

Lucius smiled, "I have some business to attend to, so not for a couple of weeks," he replied.

"All right, I'll think of something for us to do in the mean time," Adriana said. After Lucius apparated back to Malfoy Manor, Adriana walked to the porch, where the bracelet he'd given her was still lying on the ground. Bending down, she picked it up, and placed it on her wrist once again, walked into the house, and shut the door behind her.

A/N: Chapter title is taken from the book of the same title by Laura Ingalls Wilder.


	11. Pure Malfoy Suffering

Pure Malfoy Suffering

The last couple of visits had gone on without much conflict. Lucius had passed the challenges Adriana had given him perfectly. His questions had been answered with kisses and hugs, which he really didn't mind. So Lucius had assumed that this visit would be the same as those. He quickly came to see how very wrong he was.

At around ten o'clock in the morning, Adriana had been lying on the couch, wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt, watching _Gone With the Wind_, and eating a tub of chocolate ice cream when Lucius came to call on her. She was not in the mood to see him. She'd been tempted to turn invisible again, but he had looked in the window and seen her before she'd had a chance. Groaning, she pulled herself off the couch and walked over to the door to let Lucius in. "Hurry up, you're letting all the cold air inside!" she snapped at him while he made his way in. Leaving him in the hallway to take his cloak off and set his walking stick down, she shuffled back to the couch and sat down again.

Lucius stood in the doorway of the living room and watched Adriana. She was absorbed in the movie she was watching and devouring vastly large amounts of ice cream. On the TV screen, a fiery-spirited, dark-haired woman had thrown a glass object across a room and startled a man sleeping on the sofa, when Lucius moved over to the sofa and sat down at the end by Adriana's feet. He looked at Adriana and wondered what she was wearing. The overalls had been bad, but this outfit was truly awful. Big and baggy, it showed off none of the beautiful curves that he enjoyed looking at so much.

"Why in the world are you wearing _that_?" he asked, gesturing at her clothes, interrupting her from the movie.

Adriana looked at him with such hatred in her eyes, that he thought she might be about to hurt him and braced himself for whatever she did to him. Luckily she went back to the movie, silently, and her ice cream. He watched as she put spoonful after spoonful into her mouth. "Do you really think you need to be eating all of that?" he asked, trying to make conversation.

Adriana's eyes narrowed and Lucius couldn't be completely sure, but he thought he saw steam pouring out of her ears. It might have been his imagination though. All of a sudden, she burst into tears. Lucius was shocked; he had never seen her cry before. He had no idea what to do, and no clue why she was so upset. He stood up to walk as far away from her as possible, without actually leaving the room. Lucius felt Adriana was acting very unnaturally, and he hoped she wasn't ill. "That is the cruelest thing anybody has ever said to me," she sobbed.

Trying to think of what he had said, Lucius replied encouragingly, "Have some more ice cream, that'll make you feel better."

"Oh, so now you're saying I'm fat?" she glared at him.

"What?" he sputtered. "No, I never said that. Are you crazy? What makes you think I said you were fat?" Lucius asked, utterly confused.

"So, you think I'm fat _and_ crazy?" she yelled at him.

Lucius rubbed his temples, trying to work out where the conversation had gone awry. He couldn't think of what he had said that she had taken offense at. "Look, I don't know what I said, but you're blowing this way out of proportion. I don't think you're fat, or crazy, although you are acting strange today, and I have no idea why. Do you want me to be here? I could go, come back whenever you're not like this anymore."

"That's right, just leave me. Everybody else in my life has left me, why should you be any different?" Adriana started crying again.

There was nothing Lucius could do or say to rectify the situation. No matter what he said, she would twist it around to make him sound like an insensitive pig. Fortunately, Adriana saved him from having to talk again, because she stood up and walked to the bathroom, slammed the door behind her, and left Lucius alone for a long time.

Lucius sat on the couch and looked at the TV screen, watching the man and woman fighting. He knew how that man must feel. Sighing, he grabbed the ice cream and ate a few bites.

He was still watching the movie when he heard the sound of cupboard doors slamming in the bathroom. He ignored it, figuring Adriana could take care of herself.

Minutes later, she reemerged from the bathroom, and walked to the writing table, found some paper and a pen and began to write something down. Turning around, she looked at Lucius, and noticed he'd worn one of his new outfits for the first time. Blue jeans and a green buttoned shirt, it was a very good look for him. "Finally, you look normal now. I need to go to the chemist shop, you can come with me if you want," she declared.

Lucius nodded his head, stood up and put the ice cream away in the freezer before following Adriana outside to Flynn. They drove to a small village a half an hour away from the house. Thankfully, Adriana was silent the whole time, which allowed Lucius to not say anything stupid. Pulling into the car park, Adriana parked Flynn and the two got out of the car.

"All right, I wrote a list, so the fastest way to do it would be to split up. Is that all right with you?" she asked. Lucius wasn't too keen on being left alone in a Muggle shop, but he wasn't about to tell her that. After nodding his head, she ripped the list in half and handed him one piece of it. "I'll start at this end of the shop, you start at the far end, and we'll meet in the middle, OK?"

"Sure, no problem," Lucius said, with much more confidence than he felt. Looking at his list, he read the items: toothpaste, tissue, tampons. _What in the world are tampons?_ he thought to himself. He began with the two other items, since he knew what they were.

Lucius walked to the aisle with dental care items. He had no idea there were so many different varieties of toothpaste. Different brands, some that whitened and brightened teeth, some that were for sensitive teeth, not to mention all the different flavours available. Walking up and down the aisle, he scanned all the different kinds, and picked out the most expensive brand there, figuring it must be the best one.

Wandering to the next aisle, Lucius looked at the shelf with tissues on it. _It's all the same thing, how can there be so many different kinds,_ he thought to himself, frustrated. Again he chose the most expensive brand: "3-Ply, With Lotion". He smiled to himself, he was doing very well with this list. No problems so far, and none in sight.

Looking at the next item on the list, he read, "Tampons". _What are those?_ he asked himself once again. Not willing to ask for assistance, he wandered up and down all the aisles, looking for a product with that name. He found them in the aisle labeled, "Feminine Hygiene".

Lucius immediately felt nervous over what this product was that Adriana wanted him to get. He had never been gladder in his life that there was nobody around him while he accomplished this humiliating task. Walking through the aisle, he looked at everything there. Lubricating jelly, sanitary pads, pregnancy tests, so many different things they used. How could Muggle women stand it? Lucius thanked the heavens above at that very moment that he was a man, and didn't have to deal with such things.

After several minutes of searching, he found what he was looking for. Choosing the most expensive box of tampons, he picked it up. He looked at the box in his hands to make sure it was what Adriana had asked for. "Tampons," the box read. Turning it over, he saw a drawing of something that looked like some odd sea creature he had never seen before and found very confusing. Reading the description carefully, he saw that the drawing was a diagram of the female reproductive organs. Overcome with absolute horror, Lucius saw black spots in front of his eyes and felt light-headed. Dropping the box on the floor, he wiped his hands on his pants and took several deep breaths. The drawing seemed to have seared itself into his mind, he closed his eyes, but it was still there. A woman came down the aisle and stood a few feet away from Lucius. He looked at her and in spite of his best efforts, he couldn't stop his eyes from drifting down her body, to...there. He stooped down to pick up the box of tampons and kept his eyes on the woman. She glanced down at him and Lucius looked away quickly, not wanting her to see him staring at her.

Adriana found him standing, immobilized, in the middle of the aisle. "Lucius, are you all right?"

Lucius couldn't bring himself to look at her. "I found everything on my half of the list, how about you?"

"I'm all finished too! Are you ready to go?" Adriana asked, cheerfully.

"Yes!" Lucius handed her the items and walked behind her, keeping his eyes carefully on the floor. He had never felt so dirty in his life. All he wanted to do was to crawl into a nice warm bath and wash the horrors of his experience away.

As they moved through the line to buy the items, Adriana saw a magazine she wanted to look at. Handing the stuff to Lucius along with money, she ran off to browse through the magazine. Lucius waited his turn in the line and set the items on the counter when his turn came. When the clerk had scanned all of the items but the tampons, she tried to scan them, but nothing happened. The price wouldn't come up. She tried several times, but finally had to call over the page system for a price check. Lucius knew that every eye in the store was on him. He cringed and silently cursed faulty Muggle technology. When the price had been found out and all the items paid for, Lucius took the bag and looked around for Adriana. Not seeing her, he walked to where he had seen her go last, the magazine aisle. He found her looking through a magazine with a baby on the cover and headlines for parenting tips. She put the magazine away when she saw him and walked over to Lucius, putting her arm through his. "This is a beautiful day, isn't it?" she asked.

Lucius was glad she was in a good mood finally, and moved his arm to entwine his fingers in hers. She squeezed his hand encouragingly and smiled at him. The drive home was pleasant. The two joked, laughed, and made pleasant small talk. When Adriana parked Flynn in the driveway, she leaned over to Lucius and kissed him. "I know I've been a little difficult to handle today, but you've been wonderful. I just wanted you to know that," She said, hugging him and smiling once again.

Once inside the house, Adriana and Lucius prepared lunch together. She walked him through the steps of making soup. It was complicated work, opening the can, pouring it into a pan, adding water, and heating it up, but Lucius rose to the challenge beautifully.

Within minutes, a delicious meal was ready to eat. They carried trays of food into the living room and watched the rest of _Gone With the Wind_. Lucius had no idea that a movie could be so long, but found it interesting. He wasn't too impressed in the love story, but did like all the parts about war. The Burning of Atlanta was his favourite scene. "So was that about a real war?" Lucius asked, when the movie had ended.

Adriana looked at him blankly for a moment before responding. "I keep forgetting you wouldn't have been there then. Yes, that was the American Civil War. The country had split in two and were warring against each other. The Northern states wanted to end slavery, while the Southern states wanted to keep it. The North won."

"Why would they want to end slavery? I don't know how I'd live without my house elves. I still don't see how you live without them," Lucius said.

Adriana looked at him with shock on her face. "They didn't have house elves, Lucius. They had humans."

Lucius looked shocked this time. "Really? Enslaving humans? They'd be capable of much more work than house elves..." He sat and thought of what he'd make Muggles build for him if he had some human slaves of his own, perhaps a pyramid in his honour.

Adriana saw that Lucius was enjoying his thoughts far too much, and felt it best to change the subject. "So, you did a good job today. Shopping for me, sitting through a very long movie. I suppose you deserve some reward," she said, hoping that would snap him out of his reverie.

"Well, it wasn't too bad. You are a whole lot easier to deal with when you act normally. You were just being such a bitch earlier, and I had no idea why! But now you're all better. So what reward do you want to give me?" Lucius asked.

Adriana's jaw dropped as fury took over her whole body. Without thinking, she balled up her right hand into a fist and punched Lucius in the face. He jumped up, putting a hand over his left eye. "What did you do that for? What the hell's the matter with you?" he cried.

She stood up and faced him. "How dare you call me that name! I should have done much worse than give you a black eye! That is the worst thing you could ever call me!" She looked at Lucius as he held his face in his hand. "Did I hurt you?" she asked quietly, her expression turning from fury to compassionate.

"Yes!" Lucius pulled away from Adriana as she reached out to touch him.

"I hurt you. I caused you pain! Oh, Lucius, I'm so sorry," Adriana sniffled, tears welling in her eyes. "Please, let me help." She gently removed his hand from his face, and replaced it with her own. Instantly the pain dissolved. Lucius opened his eye and blinked. Everything seemed to be normal again.

Adriana was crying still, she seemed very upset to Lucius. Sighing, he pulled her to himself and hugged her. "It's all right. Don't be upset, it was all my fault, I deserved it," Lucius said, wondering if he'd actually just said that or not. He couldn't believe those words had come out of his mouth.

He sat back down on the couch and patted the seat next to him. Adriana snuggled up against him and put her arm around his stomach. She rested her head against his chest and continued to cry, more softly this time. Instead of feeling annoyed or uncomfortable, a feeling completely foreign to Lucius emerged. He couldn't even put a word to it. He didn't like that Adriana was upset, he wanted her to feel better, but didn't know how to help her. He wanted to take care of her, and make her smile. But he had no idea how to do any of that. So he just put his arms around her and held her close, saying nothing while she cried her heart out on his chest. After a time, the crying subsided and Lucius heard Adriana breathing steadily and quietly, she had fallen asleep.

He carefully picking her up in his arms, and carried Adriana to her bedroom. He opened the door, found the light switch, and gently set her down on the bed. He hadn't been inside this room before and had the distinct feeling of violating something intimate and precious to her.

Quickly, Lucius put the bed covers over her, and kissed her goodnight. Next, he turned off the light and shut the door. As he left, he noticed something lying on the night stand next to the bed that caught his eye: the bracelet he had given her. He flushed as he realized she'd kept it after their fight. He wondered what that meant as he apparated back to Malfoy Manor.


	12. A Rainy Day At Adriana's

A Rainy Day At Adriana's

It was a cold and rainy November day and Lucius had come to spend some quality time at Adriana's house. She was glad to see him but at the same time had been upset that her plans for Lucius's next challenge had to be postponed due to the inclement weather. She had planned on giving him driving lessons in Flynn, but wasn't about to take the car out in the rain. She also came to rue the day she had told Lucius about the concept of strip poker. Now all he wanted to do was to play games, which is what they spent the day doing instead of driving. Strip checkers, strip chess, strip old maid, strip Parcheesi, Adriana had literally beaten the pants off Lucius at all of those games over the past few weeks, but this day was different. Today it was strip Monopoly, and for the first time in their relationship, Lucius was better than Adriana at something.  
Adriana had liked playing the strip games, for after each game, she got to watch Lucius take off an article of clothing. He had a beautiful body, and she enjoyed looking at it. They always stopped when he only had his underwear left; she wanted to leave him with some dignity. He didn't mind that much; he found it quite a turn on to know that Adriana was looking at him. The pattern was set for the games: they played, and then Lucius stripped. So it came as a huge surprise to Adriana the first time they counted the money at the end of their first game of Monopoly and found that Lucius had three times more than her. She sputtered and silently thought to herself, _He must have cheated, it's the only way he could have won!_ as she took off her shoes.  
Lucius sat back and thoroughly enjoyed watching Adriana take off her shoes. It was such a symbolic moment for him. He loved seeing her under his control for once. Lucius the Triumphant, it was a great feeling.  
After the first game, it was evident that it would take far too long to play the right amount of games, for one or the other to lose all their clothes, so they modified the rules. After each hour that passed, they'd count their money. Whoever had the least would take off some clothes. As the hours passed and Adriana kept losing, she seemed to find more and more small pieces of clothing to take off. Lucius wondered if she was conjuring them up somehow. Frustrated, he suggested that he get to not only choose which article of clothing to take off, but also take it off himself. Adriana wasn't too keen on that idea.  
They stopped for lunch after several hours. Adriana had already lost her shoes, socks, and skirt, and was cooking in her slip and jumper. She made Lucius help cook. With a few instructions, he prepared two very delicious grilled cheese sandwiches to accompany the tomato soup Adriana made. The two talked about nothing important while they ate, enjoying their time together.  
Adriana made Lucius wash the dishes since she was losing at Monopoly. While he stood at the sink, she took the towel, wound it up, and snapped his backside with the end of it. He yelped and turned around quickly, glaring at her. She grinned and struck a defensive pose as he looked ready to lunge at her. Walking backwards a few steps and giggling, she turned around and ran into the living room as Lucius ran after her. Quickly catching up to her, he swept her up in his arms and tossed her gently onto the couch. Leaning down over her, he pressed his lips to hers, and ran his hands through her hair, caressing her chin and throat. Adriana reached up to his shoulders and pulled him down on top of her. Lucius ran his hands over her body, but found that they couldn't move any further down than her waist, Adriana seemed to be controlling where his hands could and could not go. This greatly disappointed him, for the upper half of her body was enveloped in an oversized jumper that was nearly impossible to have any fun with.  
He had finally gotten his hands under the jumper and was running them over the top of her slip, when Adriana's lips broke away from his. "Let's get back to the game, shall we?" she said quietly.  
Lucius looked hungrily at her, and nodded his head. As one, they rose and walked back to the game. Adriana tried with all her might to beat Lucius, but was once again unsuccessful. She had put up a good fight though, and the game had lasted several hours. The sky was dark by the time she had lost the game. Slowly, Adriana took her jumper off. Lucius's heart pounded as he saw her sitting across from him, in little more than just her slip. She shivered as she allowed the cool air of the room to hit her warm skin. Lucius felt lightheaded as he saw the light catch her slip at just the right angle, revealing to him more than he'd been anticipating. Monopoly was the best game in the world!  
Adriana suggested that they order pizza for dinner. Lucius had never had pizza before and let her choose the toppings. "I don't know what's good on a pizza. How about onions? I like those," he said.  
"No!" she replied abruptly. "I hate onions, I can't stand them!"  
Lucius was taken aback at the violent aversion she seemed to have towards such an innocent vegetable. "Why not? They're good."  
"I just don't like them. That's all," Adriana seemed defensive for some reason.  
Lucius dropped the subject and she ordered a sausage and pepperoni pizza. Since the village was a half an hour away, there would be a wait for the delivery. There wasn't enough time for a new game, so they sat on the couch and talked. Adriana leaned back against Lucius's stomach, and he held her in his arms, running his gloved fingertips over her skin. They talked about the Christmas holiday that was fast approaching and what they wanted to get each other.  
Lucius loved the feel of Adriana as she leaned against him. They seemed to fit together perfectly, like two puzzle pieces. She smelled of vanilla, like always, and it still drove him wild. He loved the curves of her body, the softness of her skin. He loved everything about her.  
As he ran his fingers over the silk slip covering her stomach, she laughed. He had forgotten how ticklish she was. He tickled Adriana and she squirmed in his arms, laughing. She tickled back, but Lucius wasn't as ticklish as she was, yet he laughed anyway. They were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Startled, they stopped in mid-tickle and looked in one another's eyes. Slowly, Adriana slid out of Lucius's grasp and onto the floor. Standing up in front of him and catching her breath, she began to walk towards the door, stopping at the writing desk to find some money. "You're not going to answer the door in your slip are you?" Lucius asked, his expression going from mirthful to concerned in a split second.  
Adriana grinned at him, then walked to the door and opened it. The delivery boy, who could be no older than sixteen years of age, stared at Adriana's chest, which he could clearly see as it was a cold night. He handed the pizza to her and remained staring, open-mouthed at her. Out of nowhere, Lucius appeared behind Adriana and put a blanket over her, took the money out of her hand, shoved it at the delivery boy and slammed the door in his face.  
Adriana turned around and looked disapprovingly at Lucius. "You didn't have to behave like that you know, he's just a child."  
"Didn't you see the way he was ogling you? He's lucky he got off so easily," Lucius replied.  
Shaking her head, Adriana took the pizza into the kitchen and placed it on the counter. Lucius followed behind her and found a couple of plates and some silverware. They each took a couple of pieces of pizza before sitting down to eat.  
Adriana watched as Lucius carefully cut his slice of pizza into bite-sized pieces and ate them with a fork and knife. She sighed and picked up her piece with her hand and started eating it. Lucius looked at her with horror. Adriana smiled and said, "Normal people eat pizza with their hands, that's the way it's done."  
Lucius continued to stare at her as she ate with her bare hands. He did note that the pizza was quite delicious, albeit very messy. Disgust crossed his face as the melting mozzarella dripped down Adriana's chin with every bite she took. The meat was very greasy and the oil started to run down her hand as well. A thin trail of orange grease had made its way down past her wrist before she took any notice of it. When she finally did notice it, she moved her arm to her face, licked the grease off and went back to eating. Lucius was mortified. How could such beautiful girl stand to eat that way? It was awful! He made a mental note never to let her eat pizza in public, ever.

He did the dishes while Adriana put the leftover pizza away when they had finished eating. He breathed a sigh of relief as he watched her wash her hands with soap and water.  
Adriana vetoed another game of Monopoly, claiming she wasn't about to take off any more clothes for him, so they sat back down on the couch together. She told him all about working on the farm. She did a lot of the work on her own, but did have hired help for the extra jobs that she couldn't do. She told him how she had strained her back a few days before, hauling a barrel of cider from the barn to the cellar. Lucius frowned at the thought of Adriana doing such strenuous work and asked if she was still in pain, concern in his voice. She nodded her head, but told him it wasn't too bad anymore.  
Lucius made her lie down on the couch while he knelt down on the floor. Leaning over her, he gently massaged her back. He slid his fingers under the straps of her slip and slid them down, freeing her back from any clothing. Adriana, with her head lying on her arms, closed her eyes and enjoyed Lucius touching her. Inch by inch, he ran his hands over her body, loosening the knots in her back. At one point, he reached a particularly sore spot that made her gasp and cry out in pain. Cringing, he stopped. He hated the thought of causing her pain. He never wanted her to hurt if he could help it. Lucius bent his face down to her back and softly kissed the spot that had hurt her, before resuming his work.  
Adriana loved the way Lucius touched her. His hands were strong, yet soft at the same time. She thought about him while he massaged her back. She loved that he was jealous over her, even though it was juvenile, she found it amusing. She loved that he spent so much time with her; she couldn't imagine her life without him now. She found him very entertaining. He tried to come across as a powerful wizard, yet she knew that he ruled by the idea of power as opposed to the actuality of power, and she thought it was adorable.  
Adriana slowly sat up, holding the slip to her body while she put the straps back on. Lucius still knelt before her on the floor, and they silently looked in one another's eyes. Not touching, not speaking, only the sound of their breathing filled the silence. They were wholly enchanted with one another and slowly bent their heads together to share one final kiss.   
Lucius stood up to leave, but walked back to the Monopoly game to take something off the table before making his way to the front door and putting his cloak on. They promised to meet in a few weeks to celebrate Christmas together and Adriana watched as Lucius popped out of her sight back to Malfoy Manor.  
That evening, Adriana's dreams were filled with Lucius as she slept soundly in her bed.


	13. The Gift of the Magician

The Gift of the Magi-cian

On December fifteenth, a cold and snowy day, Lucius returned to Adriana's house, ready for Christmas cheer. Since he had to spend the actual holiday with his family, he wanted to spend some time with Adriana when he could, before Draco came home. He was laden with elegantly wrapped gifts in his arms for her. She opened the door for Lucius and took some of the presents so he could come inside.

Lucius looked around the house. A large, dark green tree stood in the middle of the living room. The smell of delicious things baking in the oven wafted through the hallway. Green garlands trimmed the walls and Christmas carols played in the background. Adriana was dressed in a festive red blouse and matching skirt and had a white apron tied around her waist. She carried the gifts to the tree and put them on the floor under it.

"I left the decorations off, I thought we could do it together if you wanted to," Adriana told Lucius as he gazed at the tree. He hadn't ever decorated a Christmas tree before; usually the house elves did that at the manor. Lucius put the rest of the gifts under the tree, next to hers, and nodded his head. Adriana handed him an armful of something green and plastic with little glass things attached to it. She told him he needed to untangle the lights for her and sat down to watch him. He stood looking at her, to see if she had been serious or not. It took Lucius an entire hour to untangle those damn lights and he was clearly frustrated when he was done. Adriana had run back and forth between taking biscuits out of the oven and watching Lucius untangle the lights. It had been quite an amusing show. She took the lights and strung them on the tree.

There were two boxes on the couch filled with ornaments and other decorations. Adriana handed them to Lucius who placed them on the tree, in a rigid, geometrical pattern. Adriana told him that they needed to be placed randomly, and made him start over. Lucius sighed and looked at the work he had done. It was perfectly aligned, a true work of art, and she wanted him to willingly ruin it. Shaking his head, he silently picked up an ornament and set it on a branch off-set from the other ones. Taking the other ornaments, he moved them around to more varied places until he was finished. Standing back to survey his work, Adriana put her arm around him and leaned her head against his chest. "It's beautiful, don't you think?" she asked.

Lucius looked down at her, smiled and answered, "Yes, very." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Adriana went to the tree, found the end of the light string, and plugged it into the socket in the wall. Turning the lights off in the room, she moved back to Lucius and they surveyed the work "they" had done.

"I need to make more biscuits, you want to help me?" Adriana asked.

"Are you going to actually be working or just watching me again?" Lucius asked, smiling at her.

"Of course I'll help; baking is the best thing to do at Christmas!"

Together they walked into the kitchen and Adriana found her recipe for gingerbread men. They gathered the ingredients and cooking equipment, and placed them on the table. Adriana read off the amounts of each ingredient and Lucius measured them out and put them in a large mixing bowl. He'd never used an electric mixer before, so she explained how it worked and he tried it, with not much success. She had forgotten to tell him to start on a very low speed until the flour had been incorporated, and Lucius turned it on high speed, sending flour in every direction, including right to his nose, causing him to sneeze in the dough. Adriana wrinkled her nose and said slowly, "I'm sure that'll bake right out."

Adriana took on the messy task of rolling out and cutting the dough. Laying each man on the cookie sheet, she placed them in the oven and set the timer. Lucius insisted on cleaning up before moving on to the next activity, even though Adriana had been perfectly content to leave the mess for later. She watched him clean the dishes, but soon grew bored. Taking a handful of flour, she tossed it on Lucius's clothes, then stood back and laughed.

Lucius stopped with the dishes, and quickly wiped his hands off. Walking up to the flour tin, he grabbed a handful and threw it on her. Adriana kept laughing, and then started coughing as she inhaled the flour. Lucius walked over to her to see if she was all right. Adriana lunged at him, throwing him off balance, toppling him to the floor. Sitting across his chest, she tried to hold him down, but he was too strong and was soon on top of her. They rolled around on the floor together, laughing and gasping for air. After a couple of minutes, they sat on the floor, side by side, catching their breath and dusting themselves off. Lucius stood up, held his hand out for Adriana and pulled her up.

Adriana sighed and brushed the flour out of her hair. Holding onto his hand, she dragged him back to the living room and pushed him onto the couch. She walked to the television, turned it on, and put a tape in the VCR before lying down next to Lucius, resting her head on his leg. "What are we going to watch?" he asked her as the movie started.

"It's a Christmas movie, it's one of my very favourites," Adriana explained. She wrapped her arms around Lucius's leg and watched as the credits began to roll. "White Christmas," Lucius listened to the music and wondered what kind of movie this was. It began with two men standing on a make-shift stage in the middle of a war zone. War! Lucius was excited. He watched enthusiastically, until the two men began to sing and dance on the stage. What was that? Lucius looked at the screen in disgust until a general entered the scene and whipped all the men into shape. And when an explosion rocked the screen and a wall fell on one of the singing men, Lucius felt like cheering. The movie progressed and more songs ensued. Two blonde women entered the scene. He thought the older one looked like a blonde version of Adriana. The movie was more enjoyable after she was in it.

After the movie finally ended, Adriana sighed again. "Myrna Loy died yesterday," she said.

Lucius frowned as he looked down at her. "Was she a friend of yours?" he asked.

"No, she was an actress. I saw all of her movies. They just don't make actors like they used to," Adriana looked sad at the loss of this person. Lucius drew her into a hug and held her for several minutes before loosening up on his hold.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine, I just hate losing all these great people," Adriana stood up. "I'm hungry, do you want to eat?"

Lucius stood up and walked with her to the kitchen to prepare a meal. They discussed family Christmas traditions while they ate. "Every Christmas, we throw a large party for my colleagues. Champagne, caviar, the works. Everybody gets horribly pissed. Then we spend Boxing Day hung over, it's great fun."

Adriana looked at him with raised eyebrows, and shook her head. "What the hell kind of tradition is that? That's the saddest thing I've ever heard of in my life."

"Well, what do you do on Christmas?" Lucius asked, sitting back in his chair and folding his arms.

Clearing her throat, she said, "When I lived at home with my parents, we went to Mass. That's church if you don't know what that is. We spent time together, enjoying one another's company."

"What do you do now?" Lucius leaned forward in his chair.

Mustering up what pride she could, Adriana replied, "I spend the day alone."

"We are really pathetic aren't we?" Lucius smiled and chuckled.

"Yep." Adriana joined him in laughing.

"Well, this has been fun, hasn't it? Let's exchange gifts, that might lift our spirits a bit," Lucius suggested.

They walked to the tree and sat down next to the presents. Lucius took the largest gift under the tree, and handed it to Adriana. He grinned as she tore the wrapping paper off of it. Adriana held up the object and looked at it with a look of amusement on her face. "It's a painting. Oh it's...you. You gave me a painting of yourself, how...thoughtful," she said. Looking at the painting, Adriana was startled when it talked to her.

"I knew you'd love it! I'm for your bedroom," the Lucius in the picture told her, grinning and winking his eye at Adriana.

Adriana looked back and forth between the two Lucius's.

"Well, that's just wonderful. Then you'll just love my gift!" She picked up her present and gave it to the real Lucius.

Lucius carefully peeled off the paper without ripping or tearing it. Two picture frames, hinged in the middle to connect them, contained one small painting and one photograph of Adriana. The photo showed Adriana in 1960's clothing. Lucius had seen clothing like that at Johnny Bravo's Retro Clothing Shoppe the day he'd gone shopping with her. She had long black hair that flowed freely, brightly-coloured clothing and had strange symbols painted on her face. There was a circle with symmetrically placed lines inside of it, drawn on her cheek. She was giving the viewer a signal of some type, holding her pointer and middle fingers of one hand up. It was obviously a Muggle photo for it remained still.

The painting showed Adriana in a stuffy, floor-length midnight blue dress. The collar was high-cut, the sleeves, wrist-length. Her dark hair was tied up in a bun. The hair style made her look like Professor McGonagall up at Hogwarts. Her whole ensemble was from a significantly older time period. The painting, like the photo, was Muggle-made.

Lucius looked curiously at Adriana. He saw her in a new light, as a girl who still liked to play dress-up. Smiling, he said, "Well, I guess great minds think alike, eh?" Adriana smiled and leaned in to kiss Lucius. "I got you another present," he said, ducking under the tree and fishing out a small box tied with a bow. He placed it in her hands.

Adriana untied the bow and opened the box. Reaching into it, she took out a delicate silver chain with a small object attached to it. Looking carefully at it, she saw something that made her smile. A small metal top hat, the piece that Lucius had played with during their Monopoly marathon, hung from the necklace. She laughed as he took it and placed it around her neck.

Adriana was in a great mood; she loved all the time she spent with Lucius. Picking up his painting and holding it close to her body, she told him they should find a good spot to put it. As they walked to her bedroom, a muffled voice called out to Lucius, "You should see the view from here, it's wonderful!"

When they reached the bedroom, Adriana set the painting down against the dresser and looked around for a good place to put it. They scanned the walls for a free space, but nothing stood out to either of them. Lucius took in his surroundings. It was the second time he'd been in here, but he hadn't looked around the first time. Soft butter yellow walls, a beige carpet, and large windows covered with red Roman shades met his eyes. A simple queen-sized bed with a forest green comforter stood before him.

They stared blankly at the bed, then slowly looked into one another's eyes and grinned. As one they jumped onto the bed. Holding each other in their arms, they kissed for several minutes. Lucius began to unbutton Adriana's top. Adriana slid down the bed and unbuckled Lucius's belt and slowly slid it out of the loops. They continued to undress one another frantically. She had unzipped his jeans and had slipped one hand under his boxers, while Lucius had deftly removed her bra and was running his fingers over her bare breasts, when a voice emerged from the corner of the room, "What's going on? I can't see! I want to watch! I've always wanted to know what I look like in bed!"

Frozen in mid-action, the two turned to the painting on the ground. Lucius wondered if the Killing curse worked on objects, while Adriana spoke, "Well, that killed the mood!" Sighing, they put their clothes back on and stood up from the bed.

As they left the room, Lucius gave the painting a swift kick before shutting off the light and closing the door. There was nowhere to go after that let down, so he prepared to leave. After a kiss under the mistletoe, they wished one another a Happy Christmas, and Lucius apparated back to Malfoy Manor.

That night he put the pictures of Adriana on the table by his bed and the last things he saw before falling asleep were her beautiful eyes looking back at him.


	14. Masque In Flames

Masque In Flames

Lucius's painting had spent one night in Adriana's room before she decided it needed to be put in a new home, further away from her house. She had made the huge mistake of putting on her nightgown in front of it, while it had looked like it was asleep. But it must have had some sensor to detect what she was doing and ogled her while she changed. His demands for her to parade around in front of him made her seriously rethink ever sleeping with Lucius.

Early the next morning, Adriana had carried the painting to the barn and nailed it to one of the walls. It yelled at her for leaving it alone outside. A few days later, it was still berating her when she got fed up. Summoning a pen from inside the house, she went to work on the painting, drawing a black moustache and glasses on its face. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought black was your natural colour, shall I find a brown pen instead?" Adriana replied, smirking at the painting.

At that moment, Hitchcock the barn owl fluttered onto Adriana's shoulder bearing a letter. Taking it off his leg, she opened the letter and read it.

Dearest Adriana,

I am looking forward to attending the New Year's Masque once again with you. I had a lot of fun last year, but when have I not had fun with you? Meet me outside the main entrance at 9pm New Year's Eve and together we will make our grand entrance.

Love Always,

Albus "Lemon Drop" Dumbledore

P.S. Wear the fire dress, that was always my favourite.

Adriana smiled, remembering the last time she'd worn that dress for Albus. They'd had a lot of fun that night! It had been a celebration worth commemorating and they had definitely paid it the proper respect it deserved.

Adriana spent Christmas Day by herself on the farm, lost in thought. It seemed as though the ghost of all her Christmas's past had come to haunt her, filling her with bittersweet memories. When the day had passed, she turned her thoughts to the Masque. As much as she loved being with Albus, she was looking forward to seeing Lucius there. He would of course be there with Narcissa, but Adriana tried not to think about that fact too much.

Lucius had spent Boxing Day hung over, as usual. He too thought about the Masque. He hoped Adriana would be going again; he wanted to ask her if what the painting had told him—about being drawn on and placed in the barn, was true or not. It had returned to Malfoy manor several days after he'd given her the painting. He looked forward to seeing her again.

The week passed slowly for both, while they made preparations for the Masque. Finally the big night arrived. Lucius and Narcissa had come early, to make sure Lucius had a chance to speak to all of his colleagues.

Adriana apparated to the main entrance at ten minutes to nine that evening, dressed in the fire dress Albus was looking forward to seeing. A flame red dress with six layers of fire-shaped and -coloured ruffles trailed off the main body, from her right hip, all the way to the floor. A small fire-shaped ruffle was attached to the top of the strapless dress, accentuating her cleavage.

Five minutes passed and Albus didn't appear, but a man she wasn't expecting to see, did: Severus. He walked up to Adriana, who hugged him. "I haven't seen you in months! How are you? Who are you going to the Masque with?"

Severus smiled, and replied, "Albus told me this afternoon that he wasn't going to be able to make it and asked if I would come in his stead. How could I resist?"

Adriana was disappointed to miss out on seeing Albus, but Severus was a lot of fun to be around too. She gazed at him, he looked different. His hair was clean and tied back in an elegant queue. He wore a dark maroon suit that went well with her dress. She was surprised to see what a handsome man Severus was when he wanted to be.

Adriana sighed and smiled. Albus, that man! He'd set this up from the very beginning. Since that day at Hogwarts, he'd been trying to set her up with Severus. While she loved Sev dearly as a friend, she didn't have romantic feelings for him. The only bad thing was the thought of possibly having to break Sev's heart one day. But that thought faded quickly as Severus took Adriana's hand and placed it on his arm, and spoke, "Albus sure seems to want the two of us to end up together, doesn't he?" Laughing softly, the couple walked towards the main entrance and walked down the staircase.

As they walked down the stairs, Adriana leaned to Severus and whispered, "Tonight, we're going to find you a girl, you deserve one." Severus smiled sadly at Adriana, blushed, and held her close to his side.

When they had made their way to the main floor, Adriana noticed that nobody was dancing yet. People were mingled around in small groups talking, and she knew one of those groups would contain Lucius. Her heart fluttered at the thought. Standing awkwardly, side-by-side, Severus and Adriana gazed around, trying to figure out what to do. Severus saw many people he had known well in a former life, but was not keen on rekindling ties with any of them.

Adriana grabbed his hand and started pulling him towards a crowd of people. She looked around for Lucius, but didn't see him. She did see a man she recognized: Cornelius Fudge, the man whose house she had been to the year before. Fudge saw her, smiled and walked over to the two. After greeting Severus, he engaged Adriana in a lively conversation, making her promise to dance with him later on that evening.

Lucius had been speaking to Goyle, and had missed Adriana and Severus's entrance. As the conversation died down, he turned around and saw the two speaking to Fudge. Almost choking on his champagne, Lucius was livid when he saw Snape holding Adriana's hand. What the hell was he doing here? It was bad enough to see her with Dumbledore, but _him_? Lucius didn't know where Narcissa had gone off to, and he didn't care, so he set off to meet Adriana.

Severus saw Lucius first, smiled at him, putting his arm around Adriana's shoulders, and pulled her close to him. Adriana glanced over her shoulder, and noticed Lucius. Smiling in spite of herself, she turned around and watched as he walked over to her. Lucius looked back and forth between Snape and Adriana before speaking. "Well, Miss Orendes, it's a pleasure to see you this evening," Lucius said, looking into her eyes. Turning to Snape, he continued, "Snape, I must say I am surprised to see you here tonight. You must be very uncomfortable here, I know how much you hate social occasions. But don't worry, I'm sure nothing will happen to you as long as _she's_ with you," he said, jerking a gloved thumb in Adriana's direction as he mentioned her. "Do let me know if I can be of assistance in reintroducing you to all of your old friends. I'd be very happy to help," Lucius smiled at Snape.

Snape grinned maliciously at Lucius, while maintaining his hold on Adriana. "I don't think I'll need to meet anybody else tonight, Lucius. Adriana's more than enough woman for one man to enjoy, wouldn't you agree?" Adriana giggled in response, and looked lovingly up at Snape. Lucius wondered at what point he would actually kill Snape in front of all these witnesses, but managed to control himself.

Severus asked Adriana if she wanted to dance. As they walked to the dance floor, Adriana looked back at Lucius, and called out to him, "I'll try to save you a dance tonight, although my dance card is rather full already. I'll see what I can do." With that, she turned her back on Lucius, and left him alone, staring after the happy couple.

The two dancers drew much attention from the on-looking crowd. Not many wizards danced the tango, but Adriana had obviously taught Severus well. They moved closely to one another, their bodies touching and eyes locking onto one another's.

Lucius longed to be the one dancing so provocatively with her. He hated Snape for being allowed to touch her that way. He hated Adriana for letting Snape do things with her that he had waited over a year for and still wasn't allowed to do. He hated himself for letting her worm her way into his affections and making him feel this way. All he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and keep her all to himself, hidden from the rest of the world.

Adriana looked out at the crowd while they danced. She caught a glimpse of the pained expression on Lucius's face. She was having fun, and knew there was nothing for him to be upset about, but felt a little guilty for making Lucius think there was more to her relationship with Sev than really existed.

Severus couldn't see what Adriana saw in Lucius. He, like Albus, would rather see her in the arms of a loving man, worthy of her. He would do all he could to make sure that happened. A small, well-hidden part of him wished he was worthy enough to be that man, the one that Adriana should love.

The two danced several dances together, and were applauded loudly by the crowd at the end of each one, before separating. Adriana made her way to the refreshment table to quench the thirst that dancing had created. Severus disappeared for a while and Adriana had no idea where he had gone.

Lucius followed Snape as he separated from Adriana. Snape knew he was being followed and walked to a dark corner of the ballroom to speak with Lucius. Leaning against a pillar, he waited until Lucius approached him. Lucius gripped his cane so tightly his knuckles were white. His eyes were narrowed, his mouth shut tight and Snape could hear angry snorts with each step he took. There was a vein on Lucius's temple that pulsed with each beat of his pounding heart. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, and he really couldn't say if he would be able to remain calm and not create a scene.

"Well, Snape, you seem to be having a fun evening. All those educational dancing lessons with Adriana seem to have paid off," Lucius said through clenched teeth. "What other things did she teach you over the holiday? She told me all about the heart-to-heart talks on her bed and the sun tan sessions, and who could forget the drunken skinny dipping!"

Snape chose wisely to remain silent, knowing anything he said would lead to trouble. He hadn't realized how far Lucius had fallen for Adriana until now. He wondered if Adriana even knew.

Lucius had taken his wand apart from the walking stick, and was holding it at Snape's chest, trying to think of the best course of action, when Cornelius Fudge ran up to them. Quickly replacing his wand, Lucius turned around and glared at Fudge. "Ah, Snape, you seem to be having a good time this evening," Fudge said, walking up to Snape.

"That girl you were dancing with, the one I talked to earlier, isn't she the same one who came to the dinner party at my house last year?" Fudge asked, glancing between Snape and Lucius. "You remember, the one you acted so strangely at?"

"Yes, that's her, and I do remember, thank you very much for reminding me, Fudge," Lucius said quietly, rubbing his throbbing temple.

"I just saw her at the refreshment table talking to your wife," Fudge went on.

Lucius looked alarmed, and turned around to see where they were.

Adriana had finished her second glass of champagne when a familiar woman appeared at her side. Adriana's stomach lurched as she saw Narcissa glaring at her. "Well, you sure have made a spectacle of yourself this evening. And where did you get that dress? Something you conjured up again?" she said as some type of greeting to Adriana.

"Well, I did want to make a dent tonight," Adriana replied, smirking at Narcissa.

"I see, I just hope the dent you make isn't too big. You might have trouble getting out of it again," Narcissa responded, glancing at Adriana's curvaceous body.

Adriana narrowed her eyes, "Well, at least I'm making a dent at all."

"Hmm, well you know how it is, it's so hard to keep your girlish figure at all these parties, but then that's probably why you had to conjure up a new dress tonight. I like to make sure that I can fit into my formals well before-hand. After all, they're classics," Narcissa ran a hand over her long sleeved-black satin dress, smoothing out the creases.

"Does that mean Lucius hasn't bought you any new clothes in that long a time? Too bad," Adriana said, picking up a carrot stick and biting into it. "Ah, girlish figure, I remember those days. By the way, how many handfuls of tissues did you stuff into your dress?" she asked, while rearranging the fire-ruffle to show off her cleavage.

"Oh, why? Did you need a tissue? Is your mascara running?" Narcissa asked with a sneer on her face. "Not as though you care, but Lucius doesn't buy my clothes. That fool wouldn't know what was fashionable if it bit him on...well I'm sure you've seen it," Narcissa's eyes narrowed as she looked at Adriana.

"Speaking of Lucius, I've always wondered why he has such a large cane. He takes it everywhere. It's almost as if he's compensating for something," Adriana said, grinning slightly.

"He is. Look girl, you want some friendly advice? I only give it once. Stay away from him." Adriana paled as she thought Narcissa was bringing up the topic of the affair. "He's not worth it, trust me, I learned the hard way," Narcissa spoke coldly, yet her words seemed strangely heart-felt.

Adriana met her eyes, there was a warning there, not from some jealous wife, but from a concerned woman looking out for another one. She looked away, not wanting to see that look again. "You just don't know how to handle him, that's all," she said quietly.

"I've been handling him since you were a tot! You know nothing about him girl, and I promise you, if you ever do, you'll regret it!" Narcissa rubbed her left arm, which was covered by a wrist-length sleeve. She looked over Adriana's shoulder, her eyes growing wide as she saw Lucius approach.

Adriana turned around and saw Lucius walk up to them. Her palms began to sweat, her mouth went dry, and she felt like a nervous fifteen year old girl with a crush on an upper classman. He was so attractive, he looked so strong and formidable, and it drove her crazy. She was about to melt into a puddle at his feet, when he opened his mouth.

In barely more than a whisper, he began, "Are you going to sleep with him tonight? When he takes you home?" Lucius took a step towards her, looking into her eyes, purring, "You going to let him into your room and the two of you will...how much is he paying you anyway? He'll put his hands all over you, and you'll just lie back and let him have his way with you?" Glaring at her, he hissed, "You little tart!"

Adriana knew she had been pushing Lucius, but she had no idea he would be so upset. Rolling her eyes, she ignored his tirade, and asked, "Where is Sev?"

Lucius's jaw dropped open and he sputtered nonsensically. Adriana wondered if he had actually lost his mind by this point in time. Leaving him with Narcissa, she walked back in the direction that he had come from, but was met by Fudge, returning from his talk with Snape. "My dear girl," he began, "We must share this dance. I remember you from the dinner party at my house last year." With that, he pulled Adriana off to the dance floor.

"I really must find-" Adriana tried to pull herself out of his grip, but Fudge was insistent on dancing with her.

"Nonsense, girl, whoever you're looking for will wait for you, I'm sure," Fudge put one arm around her waist, and held her tightly to his body.

Adriana considered using her powers to fight him off, but thought better of it when she realized what could happen to her if she did. Fudge was the Minister for Magic, not a man to be messed with. With an air of defeat, she pasted a smile on her face and danced with him, until the music ended, several minutes later.

After finally being released from Fudge, Adriana silently called out to Severus, trying to locate him. She found him in the corner in which he'd talked to Lucius. Fudge had talked his ear off, and he had been enjoying the silence for several minutes, when Adriana walked over to him. Severus saw how distraught she looked and put his arm around her shoulder, concerned. "Adriana, are you alright? Has something happened?"

"I just need to get out of here. I don't want to be here anymore. Can we go? Anywhere? I don't care where," Adriana requested.

"Of course we can," Severus replied. Arm in arm, they walked around the dance floor, up the staircase, and out of the main entrance. Lucius watched the two leave, and followed them out.


	15. Surrender

Surrender

Special Chapter Note: This chapter contains references to my other story Dark Descent. I strongly recommend that you read that first, it's only a short piece to read, yet will help make more sense to some of the content of this chapter.

Lucius watched from the door as Snape and Adriana talked outside the Masque. He saw the two embrace, kiss gently, and then apparate out of his sight. Lucius apparated to Adriana's house a few seconds later. He knew they were there and was going to kill Snape, he wouldn't need magic, there were plenty of different ways he could do it. He was thinking of the ways he'd like to kill Snape most, when he saw a silhouette on Adriana's front porch. It was huddled on the front stairs and much too small to be Snape. "Where's Snape?" he called out as he approached Adriana.

"On his way back to Hogwarts, I expect," Adriana replied calmly, it was too dark to see the expression on her face.

"What are you doing here?" Lucius asked, standing before her with his hands on his hips.

"Waiting for you," she replied. "You were in fine form tonight, and I knew it was going to end with you coming over here." Lucius saw a small spark of light as Adriana lit a candle that was sitting in a holder next to her. It gave off a pale light that allowed them to see one another.

Not beating around the bush, Lucius began what he'd come for. "Why did you take Snape to the Masque? I can't believe you let him touch you like that, his hands were all over you," he looked disgusted as he spat these words at Adriana.

"May I remind you, that you attended the same Masque with your wife? And I'm sure you've had your hands all over her at some point in time," Adriana's eyes flashed with anger as she stood up to face Lucius.

"Don't change the subject; I want to know if you're still seeing that man!" Lucius yelled.

"What makes you think I was ever seeing him in the first place?" Adriana shouted back.

"Oh let's see, the wonderful summer holiday you spent with him, the letters you send back and forth, kissing him tonight, need I go on?" Lucius bellowed.

"None of that means anything, we're just friends. Why won't you believe me?"

"If you were just friends, you wouldn't act that way with him, you kissed him, again!"

"It was just a friendly kiss, nothing more!"

"And all those things you did with him last summer, I suppose those were just platonic acts as well?"

"Yes, they were, it's-"

"That's not the way _friends_ act-"

"It's easier to act that way with him than you-"

"Oh? And why is that?" Lucius asked, folding his arms.

"Because I'm not in love with him!" As soon as she had spoken those words, Adriana's hands flew to her mouth, covering it. Her eyes grew wide with shock. Of all the powers Adriana had, none of those was the ability to turn back time, but she would have traded all her power for the chance to do so at that moment. Trying to regain the upper hand, but knowing she had really messed up, she lashed out at Lucius. "Why do you even care what I do with Sev? You don't care about me, do you? You couldn't possibly be jealous of Sev could you?"

"Me? Jealous of _that_ man? What would I have to be jealous of? Because you let him do things that I would have to beg you to do? Why would that make me jealous? It's not as though you're anything special," Lucius snarled at her.

Adriana had a difficult time hiding the hurt expression that threatened to show on her face. "I knew it, this whole time, I knew it. Let me ask you Lucius, if you came back to me a week from now and found that I had lost all my powers somehow, without the ability to regain them, if you knew that I was now no more than a Muggle, would you come back again? Is my power the only reason you want me? Is your motivation for seeing me to harness my powers for your personal gain? Or is there more behind it? Would you even miss me if you never saw me again? Would you even care? If I told you I hated you and never wanted to see you again, would any part of you be sad? Upset? Are you capable of feeling that? Would you cry? When's the last time you ever cried? If you ever have." Tears welled in her eyes as she spoke quietly.

Lucius remembered the day he found his mother lying on her bedroom floor, murdered. He had cried then. He had held Rowena and looked into her eyes for the final time. Her coal black eyes had always had power over him. Looking at Adriana, he had the sudden realization that she had the same kind of eyes. Dark, searing, and intense, yet the souls behind them were vastly different. Different, but both had power over him. He couldn't imagine never seeing Adriana again. He had grown quite fond of her. Even without her powers, a part of him would be empty without her in his life.

Lucius realized he had a choice to make. If he admitted he had feelings for Adriana, he had a chance at a relationship with her. But his pride stood in the way, he could never say such a thing out loud, never let her know. A new emotion crept to the surface of Lucius's consciousness: fear. He feared not seeing Adriana again. He feared Snape stealing her away from him. A force outside of him seemed to be controlling Lucius's mind and body. Without thinking, he grabbed Adriana's hand, yet kept his eyes on the ground at her feet. "I enjoy spending time with you Adriana. I haven't felt so alive since I met you. You're so spontaneous; I never know what you'll do next. It's so refreshing, and I don't want that to end," Lucius said, while his heart beat heavily within his chest.

"I'm so glad I can be such a source of entertainment for you," Adriana replied coldly.

"AAAHH. No, it's not like that. Each time I see you, I can't take my eyes off you. I must have memorized every line and curve of your body by now, well, at least the ones you've let me see. I can't stop thinking about you, even when you're not around. You fill my thoughts day and night; it's really exhausting you know?" Lucius entwined his fingers in Adriana's, feeling the pulse in her fingertips quicken while he spoke.

"Well, what can I say to that? I'm very flattered, Lucius..." her voice trailed off, she looked at the ground, staring at Lucius's feet.

"We have a good thing going, and I don't want to see that end," Lucius grabbed her other hand and began to pull her close to his body. "Don't you want more? We could do so much more, if you wanted to..." Lucius raised Adriana's hand to his mouth and gently kissed it.

Adriana opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. Slowly raising her eyes to his, Adriana gazed at him. His icy blue eyes bored into her soul. What was happening here? What did she want from Lucius? She thought she might love him, but at this point in time, was only conscious of her physical attraction to him. Should she hold back on him because he didn't declare his love for her, if she wasn't sure that she could do the same thing?

Bending down, Adriana picked up the candle on the porch and blew the flame out, letting darkness engulf them. Still holding his hand, she began to walk to the house, opening the door, and leading Lucius inside. He followed her blindly in the dark house, as she led them to her bedroom door and opened it.

As one, they took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

The couple delighted in taking their time to remove each other's clothes, savouring this moment, for it would never be their first time again. For the first time since Adriana had known him, Lucius took the black leather gloves off of his hands. She took his hands in her own and entwined her fingers in his. His skin was incredibly soft and pale, having hardly ever been touched by the sun, let alone by another human being. Lucius brought his hands to Adriana's face and stroked her smooth skin, pulling her towards him, kissing her softly, his tongue gently exploring her mouth.

Lucius's heart pounded as he looked at Adriana naked for the first time. Together, they explored each other's bodies with their hands and mouths, feeling and tasting one another. Lying back on her bed, Adriana opened herself to him, allowing Lucius to enter her. Their bodies rose and fell together, in a comfortable rhythm. Their cries of pleasure filled the otherwise silent, still night air. Lucius was far from a virgin, but had never had an experience he could clearly label, "Making Love". Adriana was patient, and helped show him what she desired, and was pleased to see what a good student he was. Time ceased to exist, and an eternity later, both felt they might not survive the ecstasy as they came together, crying out in unison. Breathless and exhausted, the couple held each other in their arms, not speaking, merely enjoying one another's presence. Slowly they drifted off to sleep, still clinging tightly to one another.

Lucius awoke the next morning to a pale sunlight filtering through the red curtains of Adriana's bedroom. Wondering if it had all been some wonderful dream, he looked down at the sleeping figure in his arms and smiled to himself. Kissing her cheek, he relived each moment of the night before, growing warm with the memory. He'd never had an experience like that before in his life and was grateful to Adriana for that gift.

Determined to let her sleep in, Lucius quietly got out of the bed, grabbed his clothes, and made his way to the bathroom. When he was done, he walked to the kitchen to see what was there to eat. Opening the refrigerator, he took out the foods that wouldn't require cooking and laid them on the kitchen table behind him. He drank another Coke, enjoying it as much as the first time, and opened a package of crisps, to see what those were like. Salty and crunchy, he really enjoyed them, and ate the whole bag.

After a while, Adriana emerged from the bedroom, wearing a dressing gown. Sitting down next to Lucius, she silently grabbed a Coke and a Twinkie and ate, not looking at him. She had thought about the night before as well, and felt unsure as to what the next step was. She still couldn't tell if she loved him or not, but thought that might come after more time together. Speaking with more confidence than she felt, Adriana said, "I think I'm going to take a shower."

Lucius nodded his head, and replied, "Well, have fun," before taking another sip of his pop.

Rolling her eyes, Adriana said, "I said, I'm going to take a shower. Wouldn't you like to take a shower too?" She stood up and ran her fingertips on the back of his neck, causing him to shiver.

Lucius stood up, eyebrows raised. He grinned before replying, "Now that I think about it, I could use a good shower!" Together they walked to the bathroom and went inside.

Adriana turned the water on to let it heat up before stepping into the shower. Making room for Lucius as he stepped in, they stood under the water for a few minutes, letting the heat wake them up. Adriana felt overwhelmed by his presence. He was tall, strong, and the most handsome man she'd ever been with. They stood in the shower, letting the steaming hot water pour down on them. She ran her hands over Lucius's smooth, muscular chest, while he held her head in his hands and kissed her. Leaning back against the wall, Adriana lost herself in the moment as Lucius pressed his body against hers. He grabbed her by the hips and lifted her up, and she helped by floating high enough for him to get inside her comfortably, and wrapping her legs around his thighs. Wrapping her arms around him, Adriana ran her fingernails up and down his back, while he kissed her breasts. For such a strong man, Lucius could be an extremely gentle lover when he wanted to be. His thrusts went between slow and gentle, and rapid and powerful, bringing Adriana to the brink of climaxing over and over again, yet he stopped himself just in time each time. Finally unable to hold back any longer, Lucius released himself deep within her. He moaned and thrust a few more times, while she finally climaxed, screaming his name out and clinging to his body more tightly.

Slowly unwrapping herself from Lucius, she set her feet upon the ground once more, and held onto him, to steady herself. Lucius found the shampoo and poured a small amount in his hand, stood behind Adriana, and washed her hair. He loved the way it felt in his fingers, soft and sleek. Taking a bar of soap, he ran it over Adriana's body, while she leaned her head back against his chest. When he was finished, she returned the favour, beginning with his long hair, and moving onto his body.

When they were cleaned, Adriana turned off the water, and they stepped out of the shower. With towels, they dried each other off, and watched one other lovingly as they dressed. "Well, now what?" she asked, seeing if he wanted to stay for the day. "What should we do today? Have you ever been on a sled? We could sled down the hill, it's great fun! Or we could stay inside and watch a movie, you could choose it. What do you want to do?" she asked, smiling at Lucius.

"Well I have a meeting today—that I have to go to, so I should really go..." Lucius replied quickly, feeling overwhelmed all of a sudden, something he wasn't used to.

"Oh, I see...You don't want to be late for your meeting," Adriana said, her eyes narrowing as she wondered if there really was a meeting or not.

Lucius left the bathroom, and began walking to the front door, while Adriana remained in the doorway, with her arms folded. "So, I'll see when I can get away next. I'll let you know, all right?" Adriana nodded her head knowingly. "By the way, I had a great time last night, and this morning..." Adriana took a step closer to Lucius, who continued walking to the porch, calling out to her over his shoulder, "So, um, yeah, I'll see you around, OK?" With that Lucius waved at Adriana, and disapparated out of her sight, leaving her wondering if she'd ever see him again.


	16. Adriana's Revenge

Adriana's Revenge

An entire month had passed and Adriana had not seen or heard from Lucius in that time. She'd spent the time torturing herself. Had she been that bad of a lover? It had been a while since her last time, but she'd never gotten any complaints before. Maybe now that he'd finally gotten what he wanted from her, he'd decided to go back to Narcissa. She remembered Narcissa's warning from the very night she'd slept with Lucius. Narcissa knew what he was capable of and had tried to warn her, but she hadn't listened.

The first few nights had been horrible. Unable to sleep, Adriana lay in bed wondering what Lucius was thinking about her, and where he was, if he was in bed at Malfoy Manor with Narcissa, or off with some other lover. She'd never felt so used in her entire life.

After a couple weeks of second guessing everything that had happened in their relationship, Adriana's mood began to change--to anger. How dare he leave her like that? Who did he think he was? She was tempted to march over to Malfoy Manor and tell him what she thought of him. Finally one morning, she prepared to do just that.

Taking a pen and piece of paper, she wrote a letter to Narcissa, hoping to open a channel of communication between them. Walking to the barn, she attached the letter to Hitchcock and sent him off to deliver it. She hoped one of the house elves would receive it, because Lucius would be able to recognize the owl.

Glancing at Lucius's painting, she saw the blank background on the canvas. It had left after she'd drawn on it and hadn't returned, yet for some reason she'd kept the painting around anyway. She couldn't even get any clues from the stupid painting of Lucius.

There was nothing to do but sit back and wait for a response from Narcissa. Adriana kept herself busy cleaning out the stalls, milking the cow, and other farm duties that had to be done.

Narcissa was in her room, sitting in bed, reading a book when she heard a knock on the door, and a squeaky voice call out, "Mistress, a post is here for you, is you wanting it?"

Sitting up curiously, Narcissa told the elf to enter. She never got mail.Who could it be from? Taking the paper from the elf, which groveled on the floor before leaving the room and shutting the door, she carefully opened it up. She couldn't have been more shocked by what she read. That girl Lucius was seeing had the nerve to write to her! But the little slut wanted her help, and Narcissa liked that feeling of dependence upon her. Narcissa supposed her proposal was intriguing. She would enjoy watching Lucius suffer after abandoning her at the Masque. She'd had to get a ride home from Cornelius Fudge, who was more than happy to help her. He was a horrible man, and the first thing Narcissa had done when she'd left him was take a long, cleansing bath.

Narcissa thought about what she could gain from participating in this little stunt of Adriana's. She promised to teach Narcissa spells in return for her help. It was a humiliating thought to be so eager to learn from this young girl, who was little more than a child, what she should have learned if she'd completed her schooling instead of marrying Lucius. But Narcissa had always wanted more power, and this seemed a rather easy and fun way to gain it. It didn't have to be a friendship, only an alliance, temporary, easy to dissolve whenever she chose.

Standing up and walking to her desk, Narcissa found a quill and parchment and wrote a reply. Calling a house elf to the room, she told him to send it off as soon as possible, and shut her door, thinking about how to pull all of this off.

Lucius had returned that morning after leaving Adriana's to Malfoy Manor and spent the rest of the day in his room. What did Adriana want from him now? All he needed after that night was to stay the day with her and talk about their feelings. He'd rather have gouged his eyes out with a spoon.

But as the days passed, he grew more lonely without being around Adriana, and thought about contacting her. He had spent a few nights unable to sleep, all Lucius kept thinking about was what she was thinking about him. He supposed it was rude to not speak with her for such a long time after sleeping with her finally, but he hadn't wanted to. He'd just needed some time to himself to think about things. He'd never felt so overwhelmed before. He'd spent the time away from Adriana thinking about her, hoping he hadn't disappointed her that night, hoping she didn't hate him now.

He'd spent days composing letters to Adriana, but none of them had said quite what he needed or wanted to say to her, so he hadn't sent any of them. He hated that he wasn't very good with putting words on paper. He was a man of action, not writing or talking. He thought about going over to her house again, but he was immobilized, terrified of making a fool of himself, and so had done nothing. A couple more weeks had passed, and he knew it was too late; Adriana wouldn't want to see him again. Lucius couldn't get the image of her in Snape's loving arms, out of his head. She wouldn't really do that, would she? He felt alarmed at the thought of her running off with Snape after she'd received such little satisfaction from him. Maybe she didn't want him to come back to her. With a mixture of sadness and anger in his heart, he prepared to move on with his life, without her.

Adriana read Narcissa's response several times to make sure she would be able to get to the Manor safely. It had to be done very carefully, as there were charms and spells that had to be disabled for her to enter undetected by Lucius.

She would be going to the Manor tomorrow, and had to plan what to wear. She wouldn't be meeting Lucius then, but wanted to look good, in order to impress Narcissa. Adriana knew she looked down her nose at her and wanted to give her no reason to do so that next day.

The next morning, Adriana woke at eight in the morning. She'd heard rumour of times this early in the day, but hadn't really ever seen them before. Dragging herself out of her warm, cozy bed, she made her way to the bathroom where she stood under the hot shower for a long time trying to wake up. After shuffling sleepily back to her bedroom, she got dressed for the day. She chose a black business dress suit, very formal looking, for the occasion. Once she had eaten a hasty breakfast, she apparated to the outskirts of Lucius's home. The gate had a charm on it that allowed one to call at the Manor for entrance. Nobody could apparate beyond that point. There was supposed to be a house elf standing ready to speak with her and let her in, but she was still nervous over the thought of running into Lucius. There was no guarantee that he would be gone, if she wasn't careful, she could meet him in a hallway of the Manor. She might be able to turn invisible, but she'd have to wait and see if it worked once she got inside.

Adriana stepped into the boundary of the charm, alerting those inside that somebody was outside. From seemingly out of nowhere, the small voice of a house elf called out, "Who's there?"

After a few seconds of trying to figure out where to speak, Adriana finally said, "Uh, I'm here to see Narcissa, she's expecting me."

"Mistress isn't allowed to see anybody without Master's permission; I is needing to ask him first. What is your name?" the house elf asked.

"No, you don't understand, Narcissa's expecting me, you don't have to get Lucius," Adriana was panicking.

"Master is needing to know who is at the Manor, I is needing to get him," the house elf explained.

"No, don't get Master!" Adriana tried to get the house elf to reason with her. "Why don't you get Narcissa?"

"I is getting Master," the house elf said.

"But Narcissa told me to come today. She wants me to be here, she'll be very angry if she finds out I had so much trouble getting inside. I hate to think what she'd do to the poor house elf who wouldn't let me in..." Adriana trailed off menacingly. She didn't like threatening the poor elf who was just doing his job, but she needed to get inside!

"Oh, oh, well, I is getting Mistress then. Stay right there," the house elf's voice got fainter as he obviously ran to get Narcissa.

Several nerve wracking minutes passed before another voice called out to her in barely more than a whisper, "Hello? Miss Orendes?"

"Mrs. Malfoy?" Adriana cringed when those words left her mouth. "I tried to get in without causing any scenes, but..." she explained.

"Well, hold on, let me open the gate," Narcissa said, sounding put-out for having to come all the way to the door herself.

The gate slid open, allowing Adriana to walk through freely. As a precaution, she made herself invisible, although she couldn't tell if it was working or not, as there was nobody around to not see her. The door was open when Adriana approached the house. Stepping inside and looking around, she saw the house elf looking outside, awaiting her arrival. He obviously hadn't seen her, so her powers still worked at the manor. Turning herself visible again, she called out to the elf, hoping not to frighten him too much. The elf turned and looked startled. He jumped and shrieked loudly. "Where is you coming from?" he cried.

"Shhhh. Not so loud," Adriana hissed, waving her hands at the elf, trying to quiet him down. Looking up, she saw Narcissa emerge from the shadows of the foyer.

Narcissa looked at her carefully before speaking. She'd heard snippets from Lucius about her powers, but hadn't any idea how they worked. No wonder this girl was so attractive to Lucius, he'd wanted her for her powers, no doubt, until she had wormed her way into his heart. Narcissa didn't know why, but a part of her wanted to strangle Adriana, not let her into her house. Adriana would see the condition in which she lived, the way Lucius treated her. Narcissa didn't want her pity or understanding. She would never be able to understand what life for her was like, and she thought she might be sick if Adriana pretended to know where she was coming from. She knew nothing of the "real" Lucius, the man he was when he was at Malfoy Manor. All Adriana had ever seen was his "good" side, if he even had one. Narcissa wondered what Lucius was like when the two were alone. He was a smooth talker and very charming when he wanted to be. He had obviously deluded this girl into believing they were a special couple, that they had a future together. As suddenly as those thoughts came to Narcissa, they were gone. She had one thought left, the spells Adriana had promised to teach her. Standing up straight, and holding her head high, she walked up to Adriana. "How...nice of you to come today, Miss Orendes," Narcissa had always played the gracious hostess.

Smiling, Adriana replied, "I'm so glad you agreed to this, it'll be a lot of fun I'm sure."

"Well, we shall see, shan't we?" Narcissa turned and walked towards the staircase. Adriana trailed behind her.

"Where is Lucius?" she asked.

Narcissa continued walking. "In his study, we won't be passing by him."

Adriana breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. So I guess I can show you the spells first, and then we can move on from there."

"I think that's a wonderful plan," Narcissa said, through clenched teeth. She still tried not to think about letting a child teach her magic. Finally they reached her room and stepped inside.

Adriana looked around. The rest of the manor was dark, ceilings, floors, and walls, all covered in blue, black, and purple materials. It resembled a funeral parlour slightly, and she imagined it was just about as much fun as one too. But Narcissa's room was off-white, a huge contrast, almost an act of defiance against the rest the house. Adriana walked around and looked at the items that filled the room. There were several bookshelves filled with books. A mahogany writing desk and chair stood against the wall opposite the four poster queen-sized bed.

"So, what sorts of spells do you want to learn? Some will probably take more time to teach than others," Adriana asked Narcissa as she sat down at the foot of the bed.

Narcissa glanced nervously at the door. Adriana knew that Lucius led a very different life at the manor than he did at her property. Sometimes she wondered why she allowed herself to be with him when she could only imagine the things he did to his wife. Taking a guess at the sorts of things Narcissa endured, she made a couple of suggestions that might help make life for her easier. "There's the Gelidus Spell. That's one of my own. It's a cooling spell, but can be regionalized to specific things, or parts of the body. So, let's say somebody was trying to...have his way with you and you didn't want to, this spell would disable him, whoever that person might be. Would that be good?"

Narcissa looked interested. "What else can you show me?"

"Hmm, well, there's the Contego Spell. That's another one of my own. It's a blocking spell. So, if someone was hitting you, this could block it. But since the person hitting you would be able to see that he couldn't reach you, he'd be onto it, so this is a specified block that blocks the pain of the blows. Would that be helpful too?"

Narcissa nodded her head, while looking at the floor.

"I'll have to show you with your wand, I don't have one anymore," Adriana said. Narcissa walked to her bed, reached under her pillow, and pulled out her wand. As she placed it in Adriana's hands, Adriana looked at it and continued, "I hope I can remember how to do this, it's been a very long time since I used one." Clearing her throat nervously, she looked around. "Maybe I'll try something really small to get the hang of it again," she said pointing to the unlit oil lamp on the writing desk. "I'll light that lamp." Standing up, she pointed the wand at the lamp, and flicked her wrist. Not only did the lamp light up, it burst into flames for a few seconds before exploding and lighting the desk on fire. The two women screamed and looked at each other as the flames grew larger. "Don't worry, I'll put it out," Adriana gasped. Looking at the fire, they watched as it disappeared instantly. She was able to restore the desk to its original state, and air out the room as well. But seeing as there was nothing of the lamp left to put back together, nothing could be done about it. "I'll get you a new one," Adriana promised.

"I forgot to say the spell out loud, I think that was the problem," Adriana concluded after looking at the wand carefully. Narcissa looked at her with wide eyes, unable to speak, and backed away from her until she ran up against the wall and could go no further. Turning to another lamp, by the bed, Adriana pointed the wand, and said, "Lumos," and smiled as a gentle light appeared and remained steady. "It's like riding a bicycle," she murmured to herself.

The women spent several hours practicing the spells, with no more incidents. Narcissa learned quickly and deftly and found Adriana pleasant to be around. She would never have admitted it out loud, but Adriana wasn't so bad after all. She was definitely interesting and lively. There was nothing condescending about her either, which Narcissa found surprising and refreshing. After Narcissa had completed her training, Adriana explained that the Gelidus Spell was tricky, and required a lot of attention, or she could actually freeze the object she was trying to chill. "The first time I tried it, I used an egg, and accidentally froze it solid, then it fell on the floor and smashed into a million pieces. So I ask, please, be careful if you ever use this, it would make me very sad if something ended up going wrong..." The look on Adriana's face was so comical, Narcissa couldn't help laughing-something she hadn't done in earnest since she could remember. "Hopefully I won't need it; I haven't really needed it since he met you."

Adriana looked more sober after that. "I guess that's great. This is all so complicated, you know? I just wish this was easier for all of us. I wish it didn't have to be this way. We all deserve better."

"Yes, but this is the way it is, isn't it?" Narcissa smiled sadly. "Well, let's go to the dining room for tea, shall we?"

The two sat at the dining room table, sipping tea and eating biscuits. Narcissa hailed the nearest house elf and told her to go bring Lucius to them, that he had a guest. Adriana was nervous, she hadn't really thought about what she'd say to Lucius when she saw him.

When they heard his footsteps approaching the room, they broke into loud laughter, as though they were best friends catching up with old times. They looked at Lucius when he walked into the room. His reaction was truly priceless. Stopping in mid-stride, his cane dropped from his fingers, his jaw dropped open, and his eyes grew as wide as saucers. Looking back and forth between Narcissa and Adriana, he sputtered, "What…how…what?" Adriana watched with delight as he broke into a sweat for the second time since she'd known him. He positively glistened in the firelight.

Regaining control of his senses, he took a step forward, catching onto his cane, which lay at his feet, forgotten. Flying through the air, Lucius landed on his face on the hard wood floor. "Awww, damn it," he muttered.

As he slowly turned over, he saw Adriana had walked over to him and stood above him. He had the strangest sense of deja vu. She put her high-heeled foot on his stomach and held him pinned to the floor. "Well, well, well, we always seem to meet like this, don't we?" As shocked and upset as Lucius was, he was blissfully aware of the great view he had looking up Adriana's skirt.

"What are you doing here? How did you get here?" Lucius asked, trying to muster some semblance of dignity while lying on the floor.

"You left me! We finally slept together after a year, and you just left me! How dare you! You never came back or sent a post. Was I that bad? You couldn't even stand to see me again?" Adriana didn't care that she was revealing such things to Narcissa who was still sitting at the dining room table.

"Sure, like you haven't been off with Snape. You love him more than me anyway! You always did! I figured you wouldn't miss me," Lucius yelped as Adriana dug her heel into his stomach.

Adriana surprised Lucius by sliding down on top of him, straddling his chest, and pinning his arms down. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I don't love Snape, I love you!"

Lucius's eyes grew wide again. "What?"

"Nothing, never mind. You're an obnoxious oaf and I hate you, and I said what I came to say, and now I'm leaving." Adriana stood up to leave, but Lucius grabbed her ankles, which stopped her from moving. Adriana looked around the room, and noticed that Narcissa had slipped out of the room at some point in time, before putting her hands on her hips and looking down at Lucius. "What?" she asked.

Lucius ran his fingertips up and down her calves, while Adriana stared at the ceiling, trying to ignore him. "You don't deserve me to be so nice to you; you do realize that, don't you?" she asked, gasping as his fingers moved further up her legs.

"I know, I don't deserve to have you even speak to me, ever again," Lucius said quietly. "But I'm glad you are. I've missed seeing you and being with you and it's all been my fault. I can't believe I'm about to utter these words, but I feel you deserve to hear them," he took a deep breath before speaking again. "I'm...I'm...s...sor...sorry," he sighed as he finally finished his speech.

Adriana leaned down over Lucius again. "That's good to hear. Now I have to go, you will come and see me soon, right?" Lucius nodded. "And, all of this was my idea, all my plan. Don't you dare lay a finger on Narcissa for this, understand? Because if you do, I'll find out about it, and I'll hurt you, OK?" She bent down, bringing her face to his, kissing him gently, before standing up and walking away.

As Adriana left the manor, she told the house elf that opened the door for her to tell Narcissa that everything was going to be OK, and to thank her for the wonderful day. Once she had left the property, Adriana apparated back to her house, with a smile on her face.


	17. Janos

Janos

Lucius woke one morning, like any other morning, but received a post that changed his life forever. Janos had died the night before. He had not expected this, and was shocked. Sitting down on his bed, Lucius remained lost in thought for an hour before getting up and preparing for the day ahead.

Lucius went into his study, unlocked his liquor cabinet and pulled out a special bottle of fire whisky he'd been saving for this day. After pulling the stopper out of it, he took a sip and swallowed down the burning liquid.

He left the study, taking the whisky bottle, and headed downstairs for his cane and cloak. Narcissa passed him in the hall, looked at the bottle, and commented, "Getting started a bit early today aren't you?" Lucius ignored her and continued walking to the stairs. "If you're going to Adriana's, tell her I said 'hello'," she called before disappearing into her bedroom.

Lucius apparated to Adriana's house yet didn't seek her out. He took his whisky, walked to the back of the property, and up to the top of the hill. He sat under the olive tree, which had no leaves yet, as it was still March. Looking down at the windmill, he let the movements of the blades lull him into a stupour, while he continued to drink.

Adriana woke up at around ten in the morning. After taking a shower and eating breakfast, she went outside to milk the cow. She didn't notice Lucius until she had finished and was walking back to the house with a heavy bucket of milk. She set it on the porch, walked up the hill, and sat down next to him.

The bottle of whisky was almost empty, yet Lucius kept a tight hold on it. Adriana had never seen him this way before. His hair and clothes were disheveled and he didn't seem to care in the least. Lucius seemed so lost in thought that Adriana had a difficult time getting his attention. Finally, crawling in front of him, grabbing his face in her hands, and shouting his name seemed to snap him out of it. "Lucius, what's the matter? What happened?" Adriana was frightened over seeing him like this.

Lucius was obviously drunk, for his breath reeked of alcohol and he slurred his words, "Janos died."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Lucius," Adriana said, putting her arms around him and holding him tightly.

"I'm not," he replied, pushing her away. "You have no idea what it's like being that man's son," he continued. An image of his son Draco flashed in Adriana's mind. She might not, but Draco could probably sympathize. She knew better than to say anything though, and remained silent.

Lucius had never seemed bitter in the time she'd known him, yet that's what she heard tinged in his voice. She sat back and watched as he hugged his knees to his chest and brought the bottle back to his lips for another mouthful of whisky. "You know, I'm really happy. If I had known how great it would feel when that bastard kicked the bucket, I swear, I'd have killed him myself a long time ago."

"Oh, you don't mean that, he couldn't have been that bad, could he?" Adriana replied. She didn't like him speaking of killing people.

Lucius peeled off the glove of his right hand, and waved his fingers in front of Adriana. She grabbed his hand gently and looking at it, and saw that the very tip of his pinkie finger was missing, but healed over, as though it had been cut off a long time ago. "That's what happens to bad little boys who reach across the dinner table," Lucius smiled sadly at the obviously painful memory. "I can remember all the blood. Janos had called me into his study after dinner...I was making such a mess with all that blood, so he picked up an ember from the fire with the tongs and cauterized my finger. The bleeding stopped," Lucius explained, with his eyes downcast.

Adriana felt sick to her stomach. Her eyes filled with tears, her mouth dropped open and she continued to hold his hand. "How old were you?"

"Five," he whispered.

Adriana reeled from that revelation. How could any parent do such a thing to their child? She knew she never could have done such a thing. How damaged was Lucius? What other unspeakable things had his father done to him? And how had he managed to live with all of that for such a long time?

Adriana hadn't seen Lucius drink in large quantities before and wondered if it was something he learned from Janos. She asked him. "No, he never drank. He did his best 'parenting' sober. He liked the clarity of mind and found alcohol to calm him down far too much for his pleasure," Lucius explained to her. "Unfortunately, that's one of the traits he passed down to me. What I'd give for the ability to piss away my memories of that man," he continued. "Just stay drunk from sun up to sun down. What a life." Adriana felt truly frightened for Lucius.

He seemed to be in a particularly revealing mood, for he continued. "Everything had to be perfect for Janos, everything in its proper place, but I never seemed to be good enough at that for him. He always found the littlest thing I forgot," Lucius took a sip of whisky and swallowed it quickly.

"Once, when I was ten, I was in the front hall, looking at his school medals. They were so bright and shiny, and he'd won so many, I loved to look at them. I'd spend hours just gazing at them. He caught me the one time I dared to touch them. He wrenched my arm behind me and hauled me up to his study. That's where everything happened, the study. That way my mother wouldn't hear it and try to interfere. There was a whip he kept on the mantel above the fireplace. He made me take my shirt off and lie across his desk with my arms spread out. I don't know how many lashes I got, it must have gone on for ten minutes at least. By the time it was all over, my lips and tongue were bleeding from trying to keep from crying out. I think the only reason he stopped was because his arm got too tired to keep on whipping me. It hurt for months afterwards, and I still have scars on my back. I'll show them to you sometime," Lucius concluded.

"Did your mother never find out what he did to you?" Adriana asked. "Didn't she ever try to stop him?"

"We're not talking about my mother!" screamed Lucius as he backed away defensively from her. Lucius tried to stand up, but stumbled back onto the ground and remained seated under the tree.

Holding onto the tree to keep from toppling over with dizziness, he changed the subject, "What the hell kind of tree is this anyway? I've never seen anything like it before."

"It's an olive tree, from Greece. My father left it to me," Adriana hoped she could help calm him down.

"Oh, that's right, your perfect father, with your perfect family. You always spent time at Christmas together, talking and liking each other. You were so damn smug that day, do you know how hard it was not to hit you? If I could have slapped that arrogant look off your face that day, I would have," Lucius snarled at her.

Adriana was hurt at the now tarnished memory of their Christmas celebration together, but told herself it was the alcohol talking. He probably didn't really remember that day like that. But she couldn't help the tears from springing to her eyes again.

Lucius raised the empty whisky bottle to his face and looked at it before taking the last drink. "Here's to you, Janos," he said as he brought the bottle to his lips. After swallowing the last drop in the bottle, he threw it down at Adriana's feet, where it shattered to pieces. "That bastard, he won again. He died before I could tell him how much I hate him." With that, he attempted one last time to stand up again, but passed out half-way through and ended up landing on some of the glass he had broken.

Adriana cringed and bent over Lucius's still body. She gently floated him in front of her and walked with him into her house. Laying him on her bed, she peeled his clothes off of him, in order to find the glass shards better. It took an hour of painstaking work to take all the glass out of him, and he didn't stir the whole time.

When she was done, she sat at Lucius's side, holding his hand, while he slept. She rolled him onto his side after brushing the hair out of his face, and lay down next to him. She hated seeing him in so much pain, especially when she couldn't really help him. She held him while he slept the day away, and on into the night, where she kept watch over him tenderly.

When he finally woke up the next afternoon, Lucius couldn't remember anything he'd said the day before. He'd totally blacked out and the only memory he had was that Janos had died. Adriana didn't dare repeat anything he'd told her, knowing he'd hate himself for revealing so much to her, and allowed him to think that she knew nothing more of his past than what he'd told her already. Lucius and Adriana sat in bed for the rest of the day, not speaking. He held onto her tightly, with his head against her chest, being soothed by the sound of her heartbeat.


	18. Getting To Know You

Getting To Know You

It took a couple of weeks for Lucius to recover from his father's death. There were funeral arrangements that had to be made, and for a while, he didn't feel like being intimate with Adriana. But she remained at his side, helping him through the lifetime of emotions he was finally working through.

After a month, he began to feel like his old self again, and warmed up to Adriana once again. The time passed quickly for them. They found themselves once again on equal footing, and enjoyed rebuilding their relationship to a stronger level than ever before.

The couple spent most of their time making love in the most clichéd places imaginable, and enjoying every minute of it. They'd done it on the kitchen table, up against the washing machine-during the spin cycle, in the pond, and on the backseat of Flynn.

Today it was in the hayloft. And it was on this warm, breezy mid-May afternoon that they lay in one another's arms, discussing what to do for the rest of the day, when they decided to go out to dinner and dancing afterwards that evening. With that tough decision made, they went back to more pressing business with one another, laughing and crying out and scaring the animals in the barn.

The evening arrived and after a shower together—to save time of course, they prepared for their night on the town. Lucius had brought all of his Muggle clothes to Adriana's to keep there, and chose the fanciest of the outfits. He looked dashing in the black dinner suit. Adriana wore a floor-length sea green and pink strapless dress with a blue sash that began at her waist and drooped down around her knees on the opposite side of her body. It was bright and cheerful, just perfect for the lovely spring evening ahead of them.

They drove for about forty five minutes to the largest town closest to them that would have a nice hotel. Lucius was most distrustful of the valet parking attendant, and could not understand why Adriana willingly handed the car keys over to him. They made a handsome couple as Adriana held onto Lucius's arm, walking into the hotel's dining room.

They were seated at a candle-lit table by a window, which allowed them to see and be seen by almost everybody inside and out of the restaurant. This suited both of them just fine.

Lucius had eaten in a Muggle restaurant once before and had enjoyed the experience more than he'd thought he would have, so he had high expectations for the night. They poured over the menu, studying the items carefully before choosing their entrees. Lucius ordered the oysters Rockefeller, and Adriana the chicken cordon bleu.

They passed the time waiting for their food watching Muggle couples, making up stories of how they came to be there that evening. Who knew that one couple on the far side of the restaurant were actually international spies, sent here by the head of their government to find out the secret recipe of the hotel's famed chocolate mousse? Lucius told Adriana that the couple in the opposite corner window table were actually a witch and wizard, out for an evening among Muggles to see what life on the other side was really like. He obviously needed some work in the creative story telling department, but it was a good effort on his part to play along with her.

When their food came, the conversation turned more serious. For some reason Lucius was in a curious mood, and wanted to get to know Adriana better. He thought he'd try to get some actual answers from her this time, seeing as they were in public and she was less likely to make a scene. "So, what class were you?" Obviously he meant Hogwarts.

"Uh, I was in the class of...'80," Adriana said slowly, as though she had forgotten when she'd left and had to count the years.

"And what house were you?" Lucius went on curiously.

Smiling, Adriana watched for his reaction as she spoke, "Gryffindor."

Lucius cringed. "Not Gryffindor, I knew Slytherin was asking a lot, but I'd hoped at least maybe Ravenclaw."

"I know, it's a lot to take in, but I had to accept you for the Slytherin you were, after all, and I managed somehow," Adriana grinned, patting Lucius on the hand consolingly.

Lucius shook his head, sighed, and sat back in his chair. After a few minutes of eating their food in silence, he started up again. "So, at Christmas, you told me about your family's Christmas traditions, and you said you don't see them anymore. Why is that?"

Adriana was startled at the question. He obviously remembered nothing of the drunken stupour he had been in after Janos's death. She was uncertain how to answer that. "Well...they're not really in a place where I can see them that often. They're very far from here, and it makes for a difficult time trying to get together with them. Although I wish more than anything that I could see them again. I wish I was where they were, but I can't seem to find any way around it, you know?"

Lucius nodded his head, and grabbed her hand, comfortingly. "I'm sorry you miss them, they must live very far away if you can't get to where they are."

"You have no idea," she replied quietly.

Once again they ate in silence for several minutes. The food was delicious and they enjoyed it a lot. But once again Lucius spoke, "So, how did you come to own your farm?"

Why was he prying so much? Adriana was getting uncomfortable with all the questions. "I had just come out of a very stressful part of my life, and I wanted something relaxing and peaceful to do. I saw the property and fell in love with it. I've been there ever since." The server passed the table and Adriana asked him for the bill, hoping that Lucius would stop questioning her if they went to dance soon.

Lucius was delighted at finally getting some answers from her. The challenges of their earlier days that had been rewarded with kisses instead of answers, felt like a thing of the past now. Now he knew how to get them from her: corner her in a public situation where she couldn't get out of it.

After the bill had been paid, Adriana asked Lucius if he was ready to dance. The hotel had a ballroom with musicians that played every night, and she wanted to have some fun. Arm in arm once again, they walked to the ballroom, which was filled with many dancing couples.

They waited for a break in the music to start onto the dance floor. Lucius was surprised to see that Muggles danced basically the same dances as magical folk did. Smiling and laughing, they danced several waltzes together. Their bodies moved as one in rhythm to the music, twirling and flowing with the rest of the dancers perfectly. They danced a few slow dances together. For one, Adriana rested her head on Lucius's chest, while he held her tightly in his arms. For another, they danced cheek-to-cheek, whispering sweet nothings into one another's ears. The next dance was a lively polka, which they danced all over the floor to. They drew the attention of the rest of the dancers, who stood back to let them dance. Lucius was strong and was able to lift Adriana off the ground at some of the turns. She loved the feeling of flying through the air. It reminded her of the dance scene in the musical, "The King and I", which was one of her most favourite movies of all time.

The tone of the music quickened its pace and became more energetic as the musicians began to play something Adriana called "Big Band Music". Lucius had never heard anything like it before and was fascinated at the moves some of the couples were able to do. Adriana tried to show him some of the dances, but as he was a little nervous at trying them in public without perfecting them first, they mainly watched the others.

The music eventually went back to the classical style that Lucius was more comfortable dancing to, and they joined in once again. They danced the night away, until the musicians finished playing and started to put their instruments away. They were so tired, that Lucius suggested getting a room for the night, which Adriana agreed was a good idea.

They stopped at the front desk and checked out a room. Lucius took his first ride in a lift up to the floor the room was on. He wasn't sure he liked the feel of being out of control, and knowing that a Muggle-made machine was responsible for it. But it was over soon, and they walked down the hallway, holding hands, until they found the room.

It was a nice, cozy-looking room, with a king-sized bed in the centre. Seeing as they had no nightclothes, the only choice they had was to sleep in the nude, which neither had a problem with. As tired as they were, it didn't stop them from making love several times before falling asleep finally.

They awoke late the next morning, showered, and dressed in their clothes from the night before. They breakfasted in the restaurant, even though Lucius thought it was a cardinal sin to show up in the same clothes again. After checking out, they went to the valet attendants who brought Flynn over to them.

After they drove out of the city, Adriana pulled Flynn over and looked at Lucius, grinning. "So, do you want your first driving lesson?"

Lucius's eyes grew wide, "Really, do you mean it?"

"Sure," she replied, opening the door and stepping out of the car.

Lucius got out and traded seats with Adriana. The lonely country road was an ideal place to learn to drive and Lucius made a good student. He mastered the ins and outs of driving quickly, and successfully drove Adriana home, while she beamed proudly at him.

After parking and stepping out of the car, Lucius smiled at Adriana, grabbed her hand, and walked to the porch with her. As they made their way into the house, Lucius asked, "So, I thought I'd stay for the day, what do you feel like doing?"

Adriana hugged Lucius and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for saying that," she said as she led them to the bedroom, where they stayed for the rest of the day.


	19. The Mistake

The Mistake

Adriana had decided that the time had come for Lucius to learn more about Muggles and their rich heritage. She hoped it would teach him to respect them more. Lucius seemed to respond pretty well when they watched movies with war scenes in them. And he liked to discuss wars with her whenever he could. It seemed to be the only Muggle subject he enjoyed, so she wanted to use that. She thought she'd let him learn more by taking him to a museum, so he could see what they had talked about. And that is why Lucius and Adriana came to be standing in the middle of a crowded museum on the sixth of June.

They had apparated to an alley in London and walked to the war museum early in the morning, because Adriana knew it would be busy this day. As they crossed the street, Adriana told him the significance of the date. "The sixth of June, 1944, was the beginning of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, during World War II. It was basically the beginning of the end of the war in Europe."

Lucius was really interested, and asked if she knew a lot about the war. "Yes, I've always had an interest in it. It's always seemed like such a defining moment for Muggles. For those who lived through it, it has remained a part of who they are," Adriana explained.

The museum was large and had exhibits with artifacts from many different wars, but their focus this day was on the Second World War. Pictures, drawings, and items in cases showed various parts of the war to the viewers. Lucius didn't know what anything was, so Adriana had to explain everything to him.

"So, how did this war start?" Lucius asked curiously as he looked at a case filled with bullets and shell fragments.

"Well, it was really complicated. Things happened inside of Germany years before it ever broke out beyond the borders. It's too hard to explain in just a few sentences. There've been hundreds of books written about the start of the war," Adriana wished she was better at explaining things. But sometimes it's too difficult to explain things thoroughly when one knows a subject too well.

Lucius moved to a photograph of a very thin man in a striped prison outfit. The man had no hair and stood behind a fence with barbed wire at the top. His overlarge eyes haunted whoever looked at them. The photographer had been close enough to capture the numbered tattoo on the man's arm. Lucius grabbed his right arm and rubbed it gently while gazing at the picture. Adriana saw this and felt warmth spread throughout her as she saw Lucius was feeling empathetic towards this man.

"What's this guy's story?" he asked, pointing at the photograph.

"He's a prisoner in a concentration camp. The tattoos on their arms were a serial number to keep track of them. The Holocaust, that's a whole separate and interconnected subject in and of itself, and a depressing one at that," Adriana said, grabbing his hand, and looking at the floor sadly.

They drifted into the next room after a few minutes. The room was made up to look like the houses during the war. The windows were covered with heavy black drapes, to keep the light from seeping out. The wireless was turned on, and reporting what was going on at the Front. After a few minutes, the voice of Winston Churchill filled the room. There were mannequins dressed with clothing from the war, and every one of them had a gas mask strapped to its side.

Lucius took all of this in with fascination, while Adriana looked on with a sense of sadness. "What a fascinating time it must have been," Lucius said in an awed whisper.

Adriana continued to look around, refusing to look at Lucius. "I don't know that I would have called it fascinating. Terrifying was more like it. Although, I think the Great War was much more devastating. Muggles had thought they had come so far. Evolved beyond the need for war, and all of a sudden, they found themselves in the biggest war the world had ever seen. It came as a shock, people were unprepared. Everything had to be conserved. People didn't have new clothes for five years. They were hungry, all the men were gone. The women took over their jobs in the factories and ran the cities in their absence.

"By the Second War, things were more prepared. Ration tickets were given out so there wouldn't be as much hunger, though food was still scarce for the most part. The government took over the control of many things so that they could still be run properly. The air raid sirens, and the bombings, sleeping in underground shelters, it was horrible. All of the children were shipped out of the major cities to protect them from the bombings. They were terrified to be away from their parents, scared that they might never see them again.

"And that's just for those who were left behind on the Home Front. The Front lines were a whole different experience altogether. The battles were terrible. When the war finally ended and the men who were left came home, none of them were who they were before they left. Even the ones who hadn't been injured were changed. It wasn't a time where people talked about their feelings, like now; they just kept them bottled up and tried to move on the best they could. It wasn't fascinating at all. It was a terrifying time to be alive." Adriana was staring intently at the mannequin of a woman holding a baby. She stood still, with her arms held tightly against her body, chewing her lip.

Lucius looked at her curiously. For somebody who hadn't lived through the war, she seemed to know a lot about it. He took her hand and led her into the next room. There were more photographs in cases and on the walls that they looked at.

Lucius stood in front of a picture of a Muggle who had a small moustache and hate-filled eyes. He wore a military uniform and held his right hand outstretched in some sort of salute. He stood on a stage above countless other devoted Muggles who returned the salute to him. "Who was he?" Lucius asked, mesmerized with the picture.

Adriana sighed as she looked at the picture. "Adolph Hitler, the man who brought us the war." A look of anger passed over her face as she continued, "He terrified millions and killed just as many. And after he'd found out he was going to lose the war, the bastard killed himself rather than surrendering."

"What a coward. But I just don't see why Muggles were so afraid of this Hitler person," Lucius said, crossing his arms while looking at the photograph of Hitler.

Adriana looked at him, putting her hands on her hips. "And why shouldn't they have been scared of him? He was a monster!"

"Because he failed," Lucius replied simply, unfolding his arms, sniffing disapprovingly. "Such a man is not worthy of so much attention in the eyes of history."

Adriana's jaw dropped open. Sometimes she wondered what was going on in that head of his. She hoped it hadn't been a mistake to have brought him to the museum that day.

Lucius walked over to a glass display case filled with old, yellowing, and faded photographs on display. While looking carefully at them, he called Adriana over to him. Pointing to one, he smiled excitedly and said, "Look, the girl in that picture looks exactly like you! Could she be your grandmother?"

Adriana gazed at the picture and froze; her eyes wide, mouth agape. Her breathing became shallow and after a minute, she spoke finally, "I have to get out of here. Now." With that she turned around and walked quickly out of the room.

Lucius followed her as she walked out of the museum. "Hey, there's still so much to see here!" he shouted after her.

Adriana turned around and said, "I just remembered I have to do something. We need to go back to the farm."

They walked to the alley and apparated back to her house. Lucius was still disappointed at having to leave so early in the day. He'd found the museum fascinating. He'd have to go back there sometime, maybe by himself; it seemed to upset Adriana for some reason.

"Well, what is it you forgot to do that was so damned important that we had to leave?" Lucius asked Adriana as they walked through her house.

"I...I forgot to milk the cow," Adriana said, heading for the back door.

"You forgot to milk the cow?" Lucius asked incredulously.

"Yes, and it's very important, she could get sick if I didn't," Adriana explained as they walked to the barn.

"But why did I have to leave? I could have stayed, and you could have come back by yourself," Lucius was angry at having to leave the one Muggle interest he had.

"Well, by all means, go on back by yourself if you want to. Have fun. Bye." With that Adriana walked into the barn, and shut the door in his face.

Lucius sighed, they hadn't had a good row in a long time, and it seemed to be overdue anyway, why not argue over something really stupid like the cow? He opened the door and walked in after her. "What is wrong with you? I'm not going to have to go buy you more tampons am I?" Lucius knew he'd gone too far as soon as he finished speaking.

Adriana turned on her heel and threw the metal bucket she was carrying, down on the ground with a crash. She strode over to Lucius and stood toe-to-toe with him. Looking up at him and placing her hands on her hips, she screamed, "What, just because I didn't want to stay at that stupid museum, I must be hormonal? Is that it? Honestly, you are such a man!" Lucius looked down at her and began to laugh. "What? What's so funny?" she yelled.

"You are so hot when you scream at me. I just love that!" Lucius grinned seductively at Adriana. He wrapped his arms around her and held onto her tightly in a hug.

"That's not fair, you always do that! It's gotten you out of far too much trou--ble..." Adriana trailed off as Lucius nibbled her ear and her neck, while reaching his hands under her shirt and unhooked her bra. "You suck," she whispered, as a last ditch effort at keeping the fight alive.

"You wish," Lucius whispered back. Adriana laughed, and he joined in. They looked around, and he spoke, "We've already done it in here, where should we do it now?"

Adriana glanced outside the barn door, "How about in that tree?" she asked.

"Sex, in a tree? That's not possible," Lucius replied, looking intimidated.

"Yes it is, it's just a matter of balance, I'll help you," Adriana said, grabbing his hand and dragging him back outside.

"What do you mean? Have you done this before? Who did you have sex in a tree with? Snape?" Lucius scowled as he spat the name out.

Sighing, Adriana looked over her shoulder, "No, not with Snape, why won't you get over him already?"

"Well, who then?"

"I'm not telling."

"Who?"

"No!"

"Who?"

"Oh, fine then, it was Albus, all right?"

Lucius stopped in mid-stride. His jaw dropped open. "You slept with Dumbledore? In a tree? But he's so...old."

"It was a long time ago; he didn't seem that old then." Adriana walked to the base of a large oak tree. "So, you still want to..."

"No. You just told me you slept with Dumbledore, a mental image that may take an Oblivious charm to get rid of. This is a lot to take in. I think I need to go. I'll write you a post tomorrow, OK?"

"All right, I can see how it's a little too much for one day. I'll just take a rain cheque for the tree. I promise, it's a lot of fun!" Adriana replied.

Lucius bent down and kissed Adriana before apparating back home. She chuckled to herself and walked back to the barn to milk the cow that she'd forgotten about again. She knew it was going to be a fun summer holiday.


	20. Disillusionment

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Wicked: I'm so glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I hope you enjoy their third year together, and all I'm going to tell you about it is, it's going to be pretty intense, so be prepared!  
  
Year 3  
  
Book4  
  
Disillusionment  
  
Special Note: This chapter refers to an incident from the story True Revenge by ElfFlame, the first part of the True Revenge series. I recommend you read that story first, it will probably help.   
  
The end of the summer had rolled around once again, and Adriana was looking forward to seeing Lucius more often. He had stopped by a few times over the holiday, always in a great mood, ready for some fun with her. He'd even given the tree a whirl and had not been disappointed. He did have to get used to Snape being around, seeing as Adriana had invited Severus to stay again. Adriana had had the courtesy to warn Lucius about this, who had promptly gotten into a huge row with her over it. "You know, at some point in time, you're going to have to trust me, I'm not going to sleep with Sev, he's like a brother to me," Adriana had told him. Lucius replied that it was Snape he didn't trust. Adriana didn't know why he was so afraid of Snape doing something against him, but ignored it, he wouldn't tell her if she asked, so she didn't bother.  
  
  
  
Lucius had told Adriana about the upcoming Quidditch World Cup and how he had to keep up appearances and attend it with his wife and son. It had been a few weeks since she'd seen him last and she wondered how the World Cup had gone. Adriana had never had much interest in Quidditch. It wasn't encouraged in girls by her family when she was growing up.  
  
  
  
Adriana lay in the hammock, with Severus next to her, who was explaining the rules of Quidditch, when an owl arrived with his copy of the Daily Prophet newspaper. Severus opened it to read about the World Cup the day before and sat up to look at the paper more carefully. "SCENES OF TERROR AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP" He read the headline out loud to Adriana. Quickly reading the article, he told her about the trouble that had occurred the night before at the World Cup camping ground. "A group of wizards attacked a family of Muggles, and somebody set off a Dark Mark," He told her.   
  
  
  
"Attacked? Are they all right?" Adriana asked, concerned.  
  
  
  
Severus scanned the paper, "Yes, they were juggled in the air but their memories have been wiped of the events."  
  
  
  
"Why would anybody juggle somebody in the air? That's the silliest thing I've ever heard of. Somebody probably had too much to drink, I'd imagine," Adriana said. An image of Lucius flashed in her mind. She'd seen him drunk before, he wouldn't do anything like that would he? She pushed that out of her thoughts, why would he do something like that? He wouldn't risk making himself look like a fool for anything. It couldn't have been him. "Oh well, these things are bound to happen when you put so many wizards together, they get a little rambunctious, and sooner or later, trouble erupts. Although I do think they need to stop it before it gets too out of hand, those poor Muggles," Adriana said. Her heart filled with concern over the people who'd been harassed.   
  
  
  
"Yes, but somebody set off a Dark Mark. That doesn't bother you at all?" Severus asked. He had a strong feeling Lucius had been the one behind all of that, and wasn't too pleased with his former colleague.   
  
  
  
"It doesn't mean anything. Riddle wasn't there, he's gone still. It was just a stupid stunt with no true motive other than drunken revelry," Adriana spoke firmly, closing the subject.  
  
  
  
Standing up, Adriana folded her arms and thought about Lucius. She'd put off thinking about his past for as long as she could, but it seemed to be time now to deal with it. She knew Lucius had been a Death Eater, and he'd said he had changed his ways after Voldemort's defeat, but she had always wondered if that was the truth. What if it had been him? And he had set off the Dark Mark? Lucius had always entertained thoughts of being greater than Riddle had ever been. If he had done this as some stupid stunt to try to become known as the next Dark Lord, she'd kill him.   
  
  
  
Severus stood up from the hammock, walked over to Adriana, and put his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, you'll need to talk to Lucius when he comes back. You don't know him the way I do, and I don't want to see you get hurt." Severus bent down and kissed her on the cheek.  
  
  
  
"Hey, what the hell do you think you're doing? Don't you touch Adriana!" A voice screamed out at the standing couple.   
  
  
  
Startled, Severus looked up and saw Lucius marching over towards them. Lucius was fuming, his nostrils flaring. Instinctively, Severus grabbed Adriana's arm and pulled her behind him, to protect her from the angry Lucius. "Lucius, we've been reading the paper, sounds like you were busy yesterday? Did you have fun?"  
  
  
  
Adriana peered around Severus to look at Lucius' reaction. He was very pale and shaking. She wasn't sure what to do, the testosterone fest seemed very quickly to be getting out of hand and she didn't want to wait to intervene if they were going to start hurling spells or fists at one another. She hoped Lucius remembered that his wand didn't work at her house.  
  
  
  
Lucius had been in a great mood from the evening before. He'd forgotten how fun harassing Muggles could be. And he could still feel the thrill of putting Narcissa back in her place. She'd gotten entirely too independent and cheeky after the visit from Adriana. He wondered what sorts of things she'd filled his wife's mind with. "As a matter of fact, I had a wonderful time yesterday. The game was fun, those Veela sure are...engaging to watch.   
  
  
  
"You know, Adriana, I don't know what you did at the manor, but Narcissa's been impossible to deal with lately. Although I don't think that'll be a problem anymore," Lucius replied to Severus and Adriana, as he balled up his fist in show of how he had put Narcissa back where she belonged.  
  
  
  
Adriana walked around Severus and up to Lucius. "What did you do to her? Did you hit her again?" She scowled at him.  
  
  
  
Lucius' eye glinted and he smiled. "She got in my way."  
  
  
  
Adriana's stomach lurched and her whole body felt cold. How could she have been so blind, the man she loved was a monster. She had hoped so much that she was helping him to change his ways, yet saw the ugly truth that all her efforts had been futile.   
  
  
  
Walking back to Severus, she stood next to him and let him wrap his arms around her. "You know Lucius, I taught Sev how to play Monopoly this holiday, and he's even better than you are!" Adriana pulled Severus down into an intimate kiss. Taking his hand, she started to drag Severus towards the house.  
  
  
  
"Where are you going?" Lucius called after them. He knew he should have been really upset seeing Adriana and Severus like that, but he had been in a sort of manic high for the past couple of days, and so was not.  
  
  
  
"Inside, to play Monopoly in my bedroom," Adriana yelled back.  
  
  
  
"And what am I supposed to do?" Lucius asked angrily.  
  
  
  
"You can go to hell," Suggested Adriana.  
  
  
  
"You know Adriana, sometimes you can be really childish. I was going to see if you wanted to come back to the museum with me, but I guess I'll just go back there by myself, as usual," Lucius said.  
  
  
  
"What do you mean?" Adriana whirled around to look at Lucius.  
  
  
  
"It's been a couple of weeks since I was there last, I've been going all summer. Muggle warfare is such a fascinating subject. It's been such a mind opening experience, it's given me some really good ideas, and I have to thank you for it," Lucius smiled at Adriana before apparating out of her sight.  
  
  
  
Adriana felt sick to her stomach as she realized what she'd started, albeit inadvertently. As they walked into the house, Adriana ran to the writing desk in the living room and wrote a note to Albus. Whistling for Hitchcock, who appeared moments later, she sent him off to deliver the letter.   
  
  
  
Adriana paced the floor, chewing her lip nervously, not responding to Severus' questions. After about a half hour, Adriana still remained unresponsive to him, so Severus went into the kitchen to brew her a calming potion. When he'd finished it, he made sure to add the secret ingredient: lots of brandy. He had a few tricks up his sleeve that he never showed his students, and that was one of them.  
  
  
  
He walked over to where Adriana was sitting cross-legged on the couch, staring catatonically out the window, placed the glass in her hand and urged her to drink it. She sipped it absently while Severus stood over her. He fretted over her for a couple of hours until she stood up suddenly and ran to the front door.  
  
  
  
As Adriana opened the door, relief flooded her body, Albus was here now, he'd make everything better. Albus had left Hogwarts and apparated to her house as soon as he'd received her letter. Adriana was in trouble and needed his help, and he had come as quickly as he could. Adriana embraced Albus and held on as though for dear life. Albus hugged her back for a few moments before peeling her off of him and looking carefully at her. "Adriana, dearest, what's the matter?" He asked softly.  
  
  
  
"Oh Albus, I've done a terrible thing," Adriana whispered, her eyes wide.  
  
  
  
"Let's sit down," Albus said, pulling her towards the couch. Severus stood on the other side of Albus, both eagerly awaited her confession. "Now, what is it that you did, I'm sure it's not that bad," Albus tried to soothe Adriana's nerves.  
  
  
  
"I took Lucius to a museum a few months ago. I was trying to get him interested in Muggle things, and maybe even learn to respect them," Adriana began slowly.  
  
  
  
"Well, that doesn't sound so bad, did it work?" Albus asked.  
  
  
  
"Yes, it did, unfortunately. He liked it a lot. In fact I found out that he's been back several times on his own over the holiday," Adriana answered.  
  
  
  
"So, what's the problem? Sounds to me you've achieved the impossible," Albus smiled.  
  
  
  
"Well...It was a war museum. And I showed him all the World War II exhibits. That's what he found interesting, and that's what he's gone back and seen on his own all summer," Adriana was pale as she spoke.  
  
  
  
"You didn't tell him anything in particular about it did you?"  
  
  
  
"No, but I might have dropped a few names that he's probably researched since then," Adriana cringed as she recalled all she'd told him that day.  
  
  
  
"Like?"  
  
  
  
"Like D-Day, Hitler, and the Holocaust..." Adriana trailed off.  
  
  
  
Albus blinked and took a deep breath. Standing up, he walked to the window and looked out, gathering his thoughts.  
  
  
  
Severus hadn't heard of these and had no idea of their significance. He looked back and forth between them.   
  
  
  
"Albus, I--" Adriana began, but was cut off.  
  
  
  
"Don't!" Albus said a little too calmly for Adriana's comfort. His eyes burned holes into her soul. "Don't talk to me right now!"  
  
  
  
Adriana hadn't seen Albus like this for a long time and grew nervous over how angry he'd get. She looked at Severus, who squeezed her hand encouragingly.  
  
  
  
Severus walked over to Albus, "Albus, I don't think she--"  
  
  
  
"Do you realize what she did? She gave that maniac the key to taking over the world!" Albus cried out to Severus.  
  
  
  
"Lucius isn't capable of that--"  
  
  
  
"No, but that sure as hell won't stop him from trying, and creating a huge mess in the mean time!" Albus glared at Adriana. "And if that information ever got passed onto the wrong hands...I don't even want to think about that!"  
  
  
  
"Look, I know I screwed up! I was trying to reach out to him, I guess I could have found a better way to do that," Adriana stood up, facing Albus.  
  
  
  
"Gee, you think? That's right, you didn't. You never think about these things Adriana. That's always been your biggest problem, you never think about the consequences of your actions! I won't always be here to bail you out you know. You'd do well to remember that!" Albus yelled at her.  
  
  
  
"What's done is done Albus, I can't undo it! We just have to figure out what to do from here!" Adriana exclaimed.  
  
  
  
"I never approved of your seeing Lucius, now I know I should have tried harder to prevent it. I blame myself for this. Adriana, you must stop seeing him. You must break away from him while you still have the chance. I realize this is like throwing fuel onto the fire, but you must try," Albus grabbed Adriana's arms and looked her in the eye.  
  
  
  
Adriana looked crestfallen and tears filled her eyes as she looked back at him, "Albus, I love him. I'm so sorry, I love him."  
  
  
  
"But he doesn't love you," Albus said, perhaps more harshly than he intended to. Adriana tried to pull away from him, but he held tightly onto her arms. These words would hurt, but they had to be spoken. Trying to remain calm and soft spoken, he began, "If you didn't have your powers, do you think he'd even be interested in you at all? He's using you, Adriana, nothing more. Do you think he'd be so nice to you if you weren't powerful? He'd have had his way with you the first time he saw you and then forgotten about you if you were some mere average witch.   
  
  
  
"And in the meantime, you've hurt a perfectly wonderful man," Albus had held back his feelings for the past two years and wasn't about to stop himself now. "Severus has been a loyal friend, wanting nothing in return in exchange for your friendship, and you've used and abused him. You don't deserve a man as good as him." Adriana looked shocked at Albus' audacity.   
  
  
  
Standing in the background of the discussion, Severus flushed and looked at the ground. He'd felt the same way about Lucius, but wouldn't have said anything that hurtful to Adriana to save the world. He'd never seen Albus like this before, he wasn't usually this rude to people. Severus had the distinct feeling that these two had a long and sordid history, which was the only reason they allowed one another to treat each other the way they did.   
  
  
  
Albus turned and looked at Severus. "School begins soon, you should pack up and return to Hogwarts as soon as possible." Turning back, Albus looked once again at Adriana. He hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. "I'm so sorry I had to say those things, but you had to hear them. You must try to get over him, Adriana, I know you can, although it may take some time."  
  
  
  
Albus began to walk to the front door to leave, "And in the meantime, I will try to find a way to stop Lucius from doing anything else stupid, as if that's possible."  
  
  
  
Adriana remained standing in front of the window, silently lost in thought. Severus walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. He felt her shudder as sobs racked her body. Severus filled his role as the best friend to perfection, holding her tightly and allowing her to cry her heart out on his shoulder.  
  
  
  
Adriana knew this was for the best. And it was what she deserved for having created such a horrible problem. She would move on with her life without Lucius, as a penance for her thoughtless actions, but knew it would be the most difficult thing she'd ever done in her life.  
  
References: The Daily Prophet heading is taken directly from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. 


	21. Lucius Shattered

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Lucius Shattered  
  
Special Note: This chapter refers to an incident from the story True Revenge by ElfFlame, the first part of the True Revenge series. I recommend you read that story first, it will probably help.   
  
Lucius had developed somewhat of an obsession with Muggle wars over the summer holiday. He had visited the library and read countless books on the subject. It turned out that Muggles had been involved in many more wars than he could possibly have ever imagined. He'd developed a list of Muggles to study and improve upon the mistakes they'd made. Joseph Stalin, Adolph Hitler, Kublai Kahn, Augustus Caesar, Alexander the Great, William the Conqueror, Napoleon, Vlad the Impaler, and Patton were among the Muggles he studied. He had seen what they had done right and where they had gone wrong and had made a plan based on that of how to take over as the next Dark Lord.  
  
  
  
He wanted to do this with Adriana's cooperation. He had a vision of the two of them, taking over the Muggle world. He'd take care of the actual disposal of Muggles so Adriana could keep her beautiful hands clean. His were already stained. He needed her to keep Voldemort, and that damned Harry Potter at bay. But his tattoo had been burning off and on all holiday, and that concerned him a great deal. If Voldemort was going to return, he needed to make his move soon.  
  
  
  
Snape had been shacking up with Adriana all holiday and had given them little time to be alone for Lucius to discuss his plans with her. When he did give them a few precious moments alone, it was usually when Lucius had returned from the library or the museum, and in the mood to sleep with Adriana, so that's what most of their alone time was spent doing.  
  
  
  
As much as he loved spending time with Adriana, Lucius had come to realize how far he'd strayed from his original plans for the two of them, and hoped to now come back on track with them. He let Adriana control him far too much more than was good for him, he could see that now. And he actually cared about her feelings and her wants and needs.   
  
  
  
She had also encouraged Narcissa to try independence on for size, and that was unacceptable. One time at the breakfast table, with Draco present, he had told her that three spoonfuls of sugar was plenty for her porridge, as she was eating. He didn't want a fat cow of a wife to take to functions. Narcissa had the nerve to dump two more spoonfuls in her porridge, rather than obeying him. No wife of his would be ever act like that towards him. He had gotten up, taken the bowl away, and sent her back to her room for the next two days, with no food, just to show her he was serious.  
  
  
  
Lucius had decided to try out his plans for taking over, during the upcoming Quidditch World Cup. If he hadn't been so drunk, he might have seen that it came across as a lame attempt at asserting himself as the next Dark Lord, but had to live with what he'd thought of at the time. He'd been delighted with the feeling of controlling others, both Muggle and magical, something he hadn't done in a while.   
  
  
  
But he hadn't been too drunk to take all his frustrations out on Narcissa, who had made the bad choice of keeping Draco away from the revelry when he should have been at his side. Except, while all the other times he'd hit her had left him feeling uplifted, this time he felt empty. It brought him no relief, no pleasure, and for once he felt dirtied by the act. But he'd brushed those feelings aside and gone on with his evening.  
  
  
  
Lucius felt a sickening wave flood his body as he realized that he had been thinking about Adriana. Wondering what she was doing, if she was happy, or if she missed him. He was almost sick when he found himself thinking about whether she'd approve of his actions or not. What was happening to him? What was he becoming? Some whipped puppy with Adriana as his mistress? His only thoughts of pleasing and obeying her?   
  
  
  
Those were the thoughts floating through his head as he arrived at her house the next day. When Lucius showed up and found Snape's hands all over his Adriana, Lucius thought he might actually kill him this time, until he remembered his wand didn't work at her house. He didn't know how to deal with Adriana, who hadn't seemed too pleased to see him, and had he'd been so frustrated, that he'd retreated to the safety of the museum to calm himself down.  
  
  
  
A few days later, Lucius was deep in his plans when a house elf knocked on his study door. Snarling at the elf to enter, the door opened and a small, groveling being crawled up to Lucius' desk. "So sorry to interrupt Master, but Master has gotten a large box in the post today. Master must see what he has gotten." After the elf stopped speaking, two more elves, dragging a large box between them, entered the room. All three elves bowed and crawled back out of the room, the last one shutting the door behind it when it left.  
  
  
  
Lucius stared curiously at the box before standing up and walking to it. There was nothing indicative of who it was from, save for an envelope attached to it. Lucius opened that and took the letter out to read. Opening it, he was shocked at what he read.  
  
Lucius,  
  
Do you remember on New Year's Eve when I asked how you'd feel if someday I told you I hated you and never wanted to see you again? Now you have the opportunity to ponder those feelings.   
  
I've always known what kind of a man you are. I had believed that I could turn you into a better person, but see now that you are beyond help. I can't be with a man who abuses those around him and sees nothing wrong with it.   
  
I have enjoyed the time we spent together, and I hope you have too, but we can no longer see each other. In this box, I have returned to you all the things you have given me over the years of knowing you. Do with them as you will, I don't want them.   
  
I advise you to move on with your life, though that will probably not be difficult for you. I'm sure you have many other women to fill my role in your life, and I will be nothing more than a memory to you quite soon.  
  
-Adriana  
  
Lucius felt hurt and angry at the same time. He hadn't seen this coming, and had no idea why Adriana had turned on him like this. Bending down to the box, he opened it and looked at the items inside. The largest item was the painting of himself he'd given her for Christmas the year before. The image that should have been in the painting was still living in one of his other paintings.   
  
  
  
Reaching into the box and pulling out the next item, his stomach lurched as he drew out the top hat necklace he'd had made for her. The memories of that day he'd beaten her at Monopoly flooded his mind and brought a smile to his face.  
  
  
  
The next item was a bundle of the Muggle clothing Lucius had purchase that had been tied up in string. He'd actually grown fond of those clothes, they were more comfortable than his usual outfits.  
  
  
  
The last item Lucius saw in the box was the silver bracelet, the first give he'd ever given her. She'd rejected it initially, but had taken it back, without telling him. He'd seen it when he'd put her to bed one night. His heart filled with sadness as he traced his fingers over the twining pieces of metal.   
  
  
  
Lucius stood still, with the bracelet in one hand, and the necklace in the other. Was this some kind of joke? Was she serious? She couldn't be serious. There was no reason for her to break away from him. Horror struck Lucius as he realized that he had been dumped. He'd never been dumped in his life and wasn't sure if he could allow her to do that to him. How could she do this to him? He loved her!   
  
  
  
Lucius reeled as those thoughts entered his mind. For the rest of his life, Lucius would be able to recall seeing himself in the mirror on the mantle, and the conversation he had with himself. How could he love Adriana? He'd never loved anybody before. If she meant what she'd written, he'd never see her again. He couldn't think about that, it actually hurt him to do so.   
  
  
  
As he looked into the mirror, he realized that the image gazing back at him, was a man he no longer knew. He'd changed since he'd met Adriana, and had never known it. He thought about who he had been, and who he was now and saw that he liked the man he was now, better. Overwhelmed, Lucius picked up the empty painting and smashed the mirror he'd been looking into.   
  
  
  
A new emotion entered Lucius' mind: fear. Fear for where his life was going, fear of never seeing Adriana again, fear of the loss of control; these fears threatened to reduce Lucius to a quivering mass, huddled in the corner of his study.  
  
  
  
For the first time in a long while, Lucius was indecisive. His mind seemed to have slowed down, not allowing him to think clearly. He couldn't become the next Dark Lord without Adriana's help, but if he tried to take over, Adriana would have nothing to do with him. If he changed his mind about being the next Dark Lord, he might be able to have Adriana in his life, but he'd lose all that potential power. Lucius saw the choice before him: power or Adriana. All he had to do, was choose which one he wanted more. Now, he couldn't figure out what that was.   
  
Lucius looked down at the floor, and saw his face looking back at him through the fractured pieces of the mirror that he had shattered. 


	22. Moving On

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
tavingtionrose: Welcome aboard this story, I'm glad to hear you're enjoying it so far. I can't wait to hear from you for each new chapter!  
  
Moving On  
  
Adriana had gathered all the gifts Lucius had given her into a pile, and found all of his Muggle clothes. If she wanted to make a clean break from him, she had to rid herself of all the things that reminded her of Lucius. Tears streamed down her face and her breath came in gasps as she composed the letter to Lucius. It was much harsher than she truly felt, yet was easier to write that way. As angry as she was with Lucius and the fact that he would never change, part of her died at the thought of never seeing him again. He'd become a part of her life and willingly breaking up with him tore her heart out.  
  
  
  
Unfortunately Severus and Albus were especially busy this school year, with the Triwizard Tournament. Because of the extra attention needed at Hogwarts, that left less time for her to spend with them. Both men worried over what Adriana would do with so much free time on her hands. She'd been in somewhat of a depression, and Albus in particular, hoped she wouldn't fall off the Lucius-wagon, and take him back.   
  
  
  
Lucius hadn't any success communicating with Adriana for several weeks now. She must have put stronger charms over her property, for he was unable to apparate anywhere near there, though he had tried many times. Her fireplace wasn't a part of the Floo Network, so he couldn't floo there either. And all of his posts returned to him, unopened and unanswered. He couldn't think of any other way to get through to her. He wished she went to Hogwarts more often, then he might have a chance to see her again if he happened by there one day when she was there. He had actually contemplated going to the school and asking Snape or Dumbledore for help, but wasn't ready to admit that amount of desperation. Though he did keep that in mind as a last resort.  
  
  
  
Adriana threw herself into her farm, which was ready for the harvest now. Along with her hired helpers, she picked apples, vegetables, and gathered wheat from sun up to sun down. The amount of physical labour she did helped her to forget Lucius.   
  
  
  
The thoughts of him always returned at night, when she was trying to sleep. He kept her up, for she didn't want to fall asleep and lose those precious moments with him. She wasn't sleeping, or eating, and with all the work she was doing, Adriana began to lose weight. When Severus had an opportunity to visit her for a day in the middle of October, he was alarmed at how thin and pale she was. He'd never seen her like that before, and promptly brewed up a potion to boost her spirits. He told her to drink it every day, along with balanced meals, and the next time he saw her, she'd better look more like her old self, or he'd have to take the matter up with Albus.  
  
  
  
Lucius wasn't faring much better. He wasn't eating or sleeping, and found if he worked on his grand plans, the pain of not seeing Adriana wasn't as strong. He no longer had the strength or the desire to beat or "visit" Narcissa, in fact seeing her at all was a painful reminder that he was not with the woman he loved. The less he saw of Narcissa, the better.   
  
  
  
Lucius spent hours gazing at the two pictures of Adriana he kept by his bed. He'd put the bracelet in between them and draped the top hat necklace over them. It became a sort of shrine to which he paid homage at every opportunity. His sleepless nights were spent looking at her images, and the memories of the two of them flooded his mind.   
  
  
  
Narcissa didn't know the details of what had happened between Lucius and Adriana, but knew it must have been big. She had never seen Lucius act the way he had been lately. All he did was mope around the manor all day long, with a wistful look on his face. He acted like a fool, mooning over a woman who would no longer see him. She had never gotten so much pleasure from seeing her husband like this before, and hoped it would last.  
  
  
  
Several more weeks passed with no contact with Adriana, and Lucius didn't know what he was going to do. Lucius was still spending a lot of his time researching Muggle warfare. One day, he had driven his Bentley to London, and was searching a Muggle antique store for more information, when he found something called "records". As Lucius flipped through them, he came across some Elvis records. He remembered that day in the clothing store with Adriana as she told him about his music. She'd told him she would show him his music sometime, but never had. Picking out all of the Elvis music, he took them to the counter and bought them. When the clerk asked him what kind of record player he had, Lucius confessed that he didn't have one. The clerk showed him the players they had in stock, and Lucius bought one as well.  
  
  
  
Lucius drove back to the manor and experimented with his purchases. He didn't have electrical outlets to plug it in, but his wand worked just as well. The different songs played in Lucius' room while he sat by the pictures of Adriana and listened. He could see why Adriana liked him, and as she had told him once, anybody who referred to himself as "The King" had to be worth listening to. As a new song started playing, Lucius sat bolt upright on the bed and was captivated by the lyrics. It was as if the words were written just for him and what he was going through!  
  
  
  
Perhaps it was hunger or lack of sleep that led Lucius to start making plans on how to contact Adriana and get back together with her. He spent hours composing a note for her. He tore apart his room to find the blue book that he had lost track of over a year ago, and made some additions to it.   
  
  
  
He decided to do it that night, before he lost his nerve, or regained his sanity, whichever was motivating him the most. It took two trips to fill his car with all the stuff he needed. Lucius drove away towards Adriana's house at 11:00 that evening, and drove for several hours before arriving. It was 2:30 in the morning when he started unpacking the car at the edge of the new perimeter around the property. It was November and the night was freezing cold, a light snow covered the ground that Lucius set the record player on. He'd left the car lights on to help him see better. Placing the letter and bluebook on the ground next to the record player, he put the Elvis record on and moved the needle to the right song. The player crackled before the music began, and Lucius placed a Sonorus charm on the player to play as loudly as it would take for Adriana to hear.  
  
  
  
Adriana was sleeping fitfully when she was rudely awakened by loud music wafting into her house. She was confused at first, but the lyrics sounded familiar to her and she listened with pleasure to her favourite singer.  
  
Well, since my baby left me,  
  
I found a new place to dwell.  
  
It's down at the end of lonely street  
  
At heartbreak hotel.  
  
You make me so lonely baby,  
  
I get so lonely,  
  
I get so lonely I could die.  
  
The song went on and Adriana began to wonder where it was coming from, and why it was being played at such a horribly early hour of the day. She considered getting up and going outside to see who was doing this, but her bed was so soft, and it was snowing out, so Adriana remained in bed, trying to fall back to sleep. When the song ended and started over again, she decided to get up anyway and yell at whoever was responsible.  
  
  
  
In her bare feet and silk nightgown, Adriana walked outside and over to the edge of her property, from where she could hear the music emanating. She saw headlights glowing in the distance and a dark silhouette of a man and a large box in front of him. She walked towards him and watched as the man began to run around and start picking the box up. The music made a ripping noise and then stopped abruptly as the man shoved the box into the car, jumped in the car, and peeled away at top speed.  
  
  
  
Now in total darkness, Adriana created a small ball of light that floated before her in mid air. She walked to where the man had been and saw a couple of items lying on the ground. She bent down and picked them up before turning around and walking back inside her house. As the lighting improved, she saw a letter and a book were in her hands.  
  
  
  
Carefully opening the letter, she saw that it was from Lucius. Her heart fluttered as she realized he'd been the one outside her property tonight. The letter was unlike any other love letter she'd received in her life.  
  
My Dearest Adriana,  
  
You have turned my life upside down since the very first time I met you that day in the trinket shop. I knew from that day that we were meant to be together. As angry as I got when we were first seeing each other, it was only out of frustration at not having more of you than you would give me. When you finally allowed me to make love to you, I was so overcome with feelings I'd never felt before, it scared me. That's why I ran away from you for so long. I never knew until recently how much I need you in my life. Now each day since you have been unwilling to see me has felt like an eternity. You make me feel like a whole person, and I don't want to lose that. I don't want to lose you.   
  
I was in a store today where I found the record I was playing for you. I remember you telling me about Elvis that day in the clothing store and decided to research him myself. He is a very good musician, and that song captures what I feel for you right now.   
  
I hope to hear from you again soon, and will await your response eagerly.  
  
Yours Always,  
  
Lucius, the former manwhore  
  
Adriana's heart felt like it would break as she read the letter. That was positively gushing for Lucius. Looking at the book in her other hand, she saw it was his infamous blue book that she'd teased him about a long time ago. There was a little bookmark sticking out of it, so she opened it up to that page. What she saw brought tears to her eyes.  
  
Name: Adriana Orendes  
  
Rating: On a scale of 1-10: 20  
  
Comments: Who needs this book anymore now that I've found the perfect woman?  
  
For a moment she entertained the thought that maybe he was willing and trying to change. Maybe he was willing to become a better person for her. But she knew that could not be and dismissed it immediately. He was not making it easy for her to get over him. She had to nip this in the bud, before he tried to do something like this again. It was with a heavy heart that she wrote a note to Lucius and sent it off with Hitchcock.  
  
  
  
Lucius drove through the night, all the way home, and was finally able to sleep when he returned. When he woke up, he was excited to see that Adriana had sent him a reply.   
  
Lucius,  
  
I am quite flattered over your attempt to get back together with me. But I must ask you to stop. I cannot see you anymore, and nothing you say or do will change that. I am returning your blue book to you. I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding somebody in it to help you move on with your life. I wish you the best of luck.  
  
-Adriana  
  
Lucius opened his blue book and saw that Adriana had torn her page out of it. What did this mean? He'd put himself out on the line for her, and she'd rejected him. His love for her was overwhelming, and without her, there was no outlet. He didn't know what to do. He knew he should feel angry, but he was too hurt. All he wanted to do was stay in his bed, and hide from the world, until he died of old age or a broken heart, whichever happened first.   
  
  
  
Lucius saw that he had no other choice left to him now, then to try and move on with his life. If he had it to do all over again, the choice between the power he'd desired and Adriana, he'd have chosen Adriana in a heartbeat. But he saw now that he had to live with the consequences of his actions and decisions, and he hated himself all the more for that.  
  
References: Song lyrics are from Heartbreak Hotel, sung by Elvis Presley. 


	23. The Reunion

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
The Reunion  
  
Almost two months had passed since Adriana had heard from Lucius, and she was doing the best she could to stay strong for Albus. More than anything, she wanted to run to Malfoy Manor and jump into Lucius' arms. She wanted to make love to him, feel his body pressed against hers. She loved him so much, it took all of her strength to resist him. Even breaking up with Albus hadn't seemed as difficult as this was. Her weight had continued to drop and now she barely recognized herself when she looked in the mirror. She had perpetual dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. She had begun to stay in her bedroom with the curtains drawn, all day long, soon after sending her last letter to Lucius.  
  
  
  
The Triwizard Tournament was going to keep Albus from the New Year's Masque this year, which was only a couple of weeks away. He was worried about Adriana and hoped she might go to the ball. He knew she wasn't doing too well and wanted to see her get out of the house again. He knew Lucius would be there also, and thought it might be a good test of Adriana's will. He had sent her a post saying he'd hoped she'd attend with Severus again.   
  
  
  
Adriana didn't know if she could handle running into Lucius without going back to him by evening's end, but she would try for Albus. Going through all her dresses, she found that none of them fit her anymore. She'd lost too much weight to fit in them. She picked a blue dress and magically altered it to her body. It looked good against her now pale skin. Three layers of cloth in different shades of blue, looked like petals of a flower that flared out and ended at her shins. A blue, skin-tight bodice held the dress up.   
  
  
  
She wore that dress a couple of weeks later when she met Severus where she had run into him the year before. He was handsome in a black tuxedo. She took his arm and together they walked down the staircase onto the main floor.   
  
  
  
Neither one was in a good mood. Adriana was still depressed and Severus was annoyed at somebody from the Tournament, so they didn't dance or talk much. Adriana slipped away from Sev after a while and wandered around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Lucius.   
  
  
  
Lucius had hoped Adriana would attend the Masque this year, and was happier than he'd been in months when he saw her arrive, albeit on Snape's arm. She looked more beautiful to him than ever before, and he had to hold himself back from running up to her and making a fool of himself.   
  
  
  
Lucius tried to keep an eye on Adriana, but all of a sudden, she disappeared. Snape was standing by himself, looking annoyed. He could only imagine what she was doing with Snape, now that she'd broken up with him. Snape looked up, saw Lucius, and scowled. That was invitation enough for Lucius, who began to walk over to him. "Well, I hope you and Adriana are happy together," Lucius snarled quietly as Snape.  
  
  
  
Snape looked at him, frowned and spoke, "And a good evening to you too, Malfoy."  
  
  
  
Lucius grabbed Snape by the arm and dragged him to a less populated corner of the room. "Did you have anything to do with this? Are you the reason Adriana won't see me anymore? If I find out it was you, I swear I'm going to--"  
  
  
  
"You're the reason she won't see you, not me," Interrupted Snape. "Everything that has happened has been your fault, but you're too stupid and self-absorbed to realize it. You don't deserve a woman like Adriana. You don't deserve to have anybody's love," He continued, digging a long finger into Lucius' chest with each point.  
  
  
  
Lucius narrowed his eyes and hissed, "How dare you say such a thing. You're just jealous because she doesn't love you. She's just using you, and you know it. You're really pathetic you know. I don't know why I ever looked after you at school. I should have let those Gryffindors have at you, then maybe it would have saved me a lot of grief later on!" Lucius turned on his heel and strode away from Snape, leaving him speechless and fuming.   
  
  
  
Lucius had lost sight of Adriana for an hour or so as he mingled among the crowd, and was shocked when he bumped into her behind one of the pillars. He looked down at her as she stared at him. Reaching his hand out, he brushed his fingertips against her cheek. "Adriana," He whispered.   
  
  
  
Adriana gasped at his touch, placed her hand over his and held it to her face. "Lucius," She spoke inside his mind. Lucius moved his hand and lightly ran a fingertip over her lips. He longed to kiss her, his body ached to be inside her. It hurt him to be this close to Adriana, yet not be able to love her. Suddenly she shook her head, and stepped away from Lucius. "Don't, please, that's not fair," She begged him without opening her mouth, tears forming in her eyes. "We can't be together anymore, I promised Albus, I promised..." As her breathing became more rapid, she turned and walked away from Lucius, leaving him wondering if she had broken up with him unwillingly. What did Dumbledore have to do with this?   
  
  
  
Severus had looked away for one minute and by the time he turned to speak to Adriana again, she had disappeared. "Damn it," He thought to himself, scowling. Sometimes Severus hated his life, and this was one of those times.  
  
  
  
Adriana walked around, looking for a person to talk to. She didn't care if it was a complete stranger, she had to forget about Lucius. Walking over to the refreshment table, she found someone to talk to. A tall, red-haired boy in a powder blue tuxedo that had a carnation sticking out of the jacket pocket, who could hardly be more than a year out of Hogwarts, was standing next to her. Adriana looked at him and caught his eye. Smiling, she said, "Is this your first year here?"  
  
  
  
The young man leaned against the table, his coat tails dipped into the punch bowl, and grinned at her. "Yes, I work for the Ministry of Magic, for Mr. Barty Crouch to be specific, and am enjoying myself immensely. Say, I don't recognize you from the Ministry, who are you here with?"  
  
  
  
"Severus Snape. And who are you with?" Adriana asked, completely ignoring how tactless that question was.  
  
  
  
"Oh, I came by myself. I heard there are lots of attractive women here, and I didn't want to miss out on them by having to be stuck with a date. And I must say, there is at least one pretty girl here tonight. What is your name, by the way?" The boy asked, grinning at Adriana.  
  
  
  
Trying not to laugh, she spoke, "Adriana, and what is yours?"  
  
  
  
"Percy. Percy Weasley. So you came with good old Severus Snape, did you? I'm not the bragging type, but I was one of his star pupils when I attended Hogwarts," He took her hand and kissed it wetly. Adriana bit her lip to keep from bursting out laughing. When Percy finally released her hand, she wiped it on the tablecloth.   
  
  
  
"Well, Percy, I want to thank you for making my night, you have no idea how fun it was to meet you. Happy New Year," With that, she turned and walked away, laughing quietly.   
  
  
  
Lucius had emerged from behind the pillar to see a short, frog-mouthed, blonde troll of a woman standing in front of him. He could feel the bile rising in his throat as the woman asked for a dance. Dolores Umbridge, quite possibly the ugliest woman to ever walk on the face of the earth. Yet it wouldn't do to displease her, she held considerable power within the Ministry. Lucius always felt that he should keep the Ministry happy and at bay, he found it always helped with his plans.   
  
  
  
Narcissa and Adriana exchanged their traditional annual un-pleasantries over glasses of wine. Though this year things were much less snippy between the two, they were still far from friendly. They were standing side-by-side when a dancing couple passed by them. Adriana stared as she watched Lucius dancing with a very ugly woman. "Who is that?" She asked Narcissa.  
  
  
  
"Dolores Umbridge, she works for the Ministry," Narcissa replied, with a look on her face that showed she was clearly disgusted by that woman.  
  
  
  
Umbridge was slow-dancing with Lucius, her face crushed against his chest, her hands wrapped around his waist, groping his backside. Lucius was trying to not touch her, but wasn't very successful, as she was plastered to him.   
  
  
  
Adriana tried not to choke on her wine as she watched the scene in front of her. She smiled ruefully at Lucius while he looked at the two of them and mouthed, "Help me," at them, before quickly smiling down at Umbridge who gazed lovingly up at him. Adriana wanted nothing more than to run up and tear that woman away from Lucius and free him from what must be a horrible experience, but she had to be strong and resist the temptation.   
  
  
  
Just as Adriana looked away from Lucius, Cornelius Fudge approached her. Her stomach lurched as he put his hand on her arm and pulled her onto the dance floor. Fudge pressed her body so tightly to his, she could hardly breath. She felt his hot breath on her neck as he whispered dirty innuendos in her ear. Adriana felt nauseated and more than anything she wanted to do something to Fudge. Something bad, something terrible, but she couldn't. He was the Minister of Magic, and as she was well aware of, he was in a position of power and not to be messed with. Not unless she wanted to see what the inside of Azkaban looked like.   
  
  
  
Looking over Fudge's shoulder, she caught Lucius' eye. Her heart filled with pain as she watched him dancing with Umbridge. They remained locked in one another's gazes until the dance ended, both trapped in situations beyond their control.   
  
  
  
As the dance finally came to a stop, Adriana tried to walk away from Fudge, but he insisted on following her around. Making a bee line for the refreshment table, she downed a glass of wine in one gulp. Seeing as Fudge wasn't going to let her alone, she tried to think of ways to divert him. That pathetic Percy boy was still standing alone at the food table across from them. His coat tails were still probably in the punch bowl. Walking back over to him, Fudge followed her. "Percy, I'd like you to meet somebody, although since you work for the Ministry, you've probably met him many times already. Percy, this is Cornelius Fudge, Cornelius, this is Percy Weasley."  
  
  
  
Percy's eyes grew large, he stood up straight and cleared his throat. Holding out his hand, he said, "Minister Fudge, what an honour it is to finally meet you. I'm honoured to work for you sir."  
  
  
  
Fudge shook Percy's hand and replied, "Well, I'm sure the Ministry can use good people like you in their ranks, boy. Weasley, say are you related to Arthur Weasley?"  
  
  
  
"Yes, he's my father," Percy replied. Adriana would've loved to have stayed and seen how the conversation ended, but she was too busy running for her life.  
  
  
  
Spotting Severus, Adriana walked up to him and pulled him onto the dance floor. He didn't look to happy to her, and she was sure he'd tell her why.   
  
  
  
"You ran off! I couldn't find you. Albus entrusted you to me, and I can't do my job if you don't stay near me," Severus spoke to her in a disapproving voice.  
  
  
  
"Sev, nothing happened. I've been a good girl, I promise. You were being so difficult to be around that I wanted to look around a bit, that's all," Adriana replied.  
  
  
  
"Well, I want you to stay with me for the rest of the night. I'll not be the one responsible to Albus for losing you, understood?" Severus looked in her eyes, waiting for an answer.  
  
  
  
Sighing, Adriana replied, "Yes, Sev, whatever you say."  
  
  
  
They continued to dance several more dances together, until there were only a few more minutes till midnight. Stepping away momentarily from Severus to get another glass of wine, Adriana saw Lucius duck behind the clock across the room. There was only a couple of minutes left before midnight and she didn't have much time to see him again. As she began to rush towards him, a hand caught her by the wrist and pulled her around to face a person she didn't want to see again: Fudge. "There you are girl, now it's almost midnight, and I want you to be my New Year's kiss," Fudge said, smiling at Adriana.  
  
  
  
He began to pull her towards him and Adriana panicked. Without thinking of the consequences, she pushed Fudge away from her. "No! Don't touch me! Get away from me!" Fudge's eyes glared at her as she began to run in the opposite direction, towards the clock.  
  
  
  
As she rounded the corner, she came face to face with Lucius. Tears streamed down her face and she tried to catch her breath. "Lucius...Lucius...I tried. I tried for so long, but I can't do it anymore," Adriana began to cry harder.   
  
  
  
Lucius was thrilled that she was talking to him once again, grabbed her arms and pulled her to him. The clock began to strike midnight as he bent his face to hers and kissed her. She clung to him as though he was going to disappear. He wiped the tears out of her eyes and held her face in his hands. "Look at you, you've gotten so thin, I had no idea it's been like this for you. How could Albus do that to you?" Anger burned in his heart as he saw what Adriana had gone through over the past few months. Lucius held her tightly as they kissed once again. Together, they apparated back to her house. 


	24. The Aftermath

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
The Aftermath  
  
Lucius and Adriana went to the bedroom and quickly took their clothing off. Falling into bed, they were going to make love, but months of insomnia had finally caught up with them, and they fell asleep in each others arms before they had a chance to.   
  
  
  
They slept late into the next morning. Lucius was still tired, but his tattoo began to throb so hard it woke him up. He let Adriana sleep, while he got up to make some breakfast. Lucius made himself bacon and eggs, and it turned out much more successfully than his first attempt. He ate and worried about his tattoo and what it meant.   
  
  
  
When Lucius finished eating, he wandered back over to the bedroom. Lucius gazed lovingly at Adriana while she slept. He wished moments like this would never end. Lucius got back in the bed, next to Adriana, and hugged her to him. Adriana stirred and snuggled against his chest, wrapping her arms around him. Slowly, he drifted back to sleep.  
  
  
  
By the time Lucius woke up again, Adriana was awake and dressed. "Morning sleepy head," She whispered to him as she sat back on the bed next to him. Lucius smiled, reached up to Adriana and pulled her down on top of him.   
  
  
  
"Morning yourself, gorgeous," Lucius replied, kissing her softly. Getting a close look at her, he was once again alarmed at how thin she was. He was afraid to touch her too hard, she looked as though she might break. But apparently Adriana didn't share that same fear, for she proceeded to take her clothes off and get back in the bed with Lucius.  
  
  
  
"I've missed you so much, Lucius," She said, leaning over Lucius, taking his clothes off. Lucius lay on his back, and enjoyed all that Adriana did to him. He'd missed her more than he'd realized.   
  
  
  
They spent the day making love, laughing, crying out, screaming in pleasure. Lucius and Adriana had several months of separation to make up for, and they were doing their best to catch up.   
  
  
  
After another good night's sleep, the couple began to talk. In the tub together, with hot water and bubbles covering them, Adriana told Lucius about why she had broken up with him. She told him how angry Albus had been at her, and how angry she'd been with herself for showing Lucius what she had that day at the museum.  
  
  
  
Lucius leaned back against Adriana, who held him in her arms. She ran her fingers teasingly over his chest and arms. At the moment she brushed her finger over his tattoo, pain began shooting up his arm, into his shoulder. Gasping in pain and grabbing his arm, Adriana looked at his arm and moved the hand covering it. "What's this?" She asked as she traced her finger over the tattoo.  
  
  
  
Lucius had never before this point felt shame over the fact that he was a Death Eater. But somehow, looking into her eyes, he saw the pain it would cause the two of them, and wished, he'd chosen other paths in his youth. "That's the tattoo all of the Death Eaters have. It's Lord Voldemort's way of summoning us to his side when he wants us. I was one of the very first to get one," He spoke quietly, his eyes downcast.  
  
  
  
"And when it hurts? Is that him summoning you?" Adriana's blood ran cold as she thought about Lucius going back to Riddle, especially with the information he now had. If that got passed onto Riddle, it would be all her fault.   
  
  
  
"I'm not sure, it just means something's going to happen. Soon." Lucius replied.   
  
  
  
"Will you go to him? If he returns, and calls on you? Do you really hate the Muggle world, my world, and everything I love, so much that you'd destroy it? And all who live there?" Adriana asked in a whisper.  
  
  
  
Up until he'd met Adriana, he'd never questioned his values and why he did the things he did. He'd been brought up to be who he was, and had never had a problem with it. But now, lying against the woman he loved, in her home, he felt conflicted. When he didn't answer, Adriana continued. "Have you ever thought about why you hate the Muggle world so much? Was it a choice that you came to in your adult life? Or was the choice made for you when Janos beat it into you?" Adriana's hand slipped to his and she brushed her finger against the finger Janos had cut the tip off of so long ago. He didn't remember ever telling her about that, how did she know? Sitting upright, he turned and glared at her, the water in the tub sloshed noisily for a few seconds before he spoke.  
  
  
  
"How did you know about that?" Lucius' heart pounded as he awaited an answer.  
  
  
  
"You told me many things the day Janos died, I know what kind of a man he was. I was under the impression that you had the potential to be better than him. Your father made the choice for you to become a Death Eater, but now it's yours, whether or not to stay a Death Eater. If something starts, will we find ourselves on opposite sides? I don't know if I could stand that, not after just getting you back in my life," Adriana said.  
  
  
  
All his life, Lucius had been taught to hate the Muggle world, and all who lived there. Muggles were a nuisance, they were inferior, they were of little or no value and therefore, not worthy of the right to existence. With all the changes going on in his life, that was the only constant left to him. The only unchanging idea he could cling to for comfort. He wasn't ready to give that up yet.   
  
  
  
Lucius moved to the opposite end of the tub, in order to face Adriana. "The world would be better with no Muggles. Wizards with power are the ones who should be here. Can you imagine it Adriana, the two of us, do you have any idea how powerful we could be together? We could be even greater than Voldemort," Lucius said excitedly.  
  
  
  
"Lucius, you must know by now that I will never let you use my powers for that. Ever. So if that's the only reason you're really here, then..." Adriana trailed off.  
  
  
  
"I'm not leaving you again. I just need more time to think things over, but there is no time. Adriana, I need your help," Lucius said. He knew that Lord Voldemort would make a return as soon as he could, and that Lucius knew far too much than was good for anybody to know. Voldemort would be able to read his mind like a book, and when he did, it wouldn't be a pretty sight. There were things Lucius needed to be rid of and he hoped Adriana would be able to do that for him. "Can you do memory charms?" He asked.  
  
  
  
"Of course, why?" Adriana asked.  
  
  
  
"How strong can you make one? Most memories can be recovered, even with the strongest of charms. Can you erase a memory? So it's like it was never there?" Lucius asked, desperation in his voice.  
  
  
  
"Yes, but what do you need to forget?" Adriana sounded worried.  
  
  
  
"The museum, the war, all those Muggles I was researching, everything, nothing can stay in my mind. Can you do it?" Lucius asked, looking into her eyes.  
  
  
  
Adriana saw fear in Lucius' soul as she stared at him. This was wonderful of course, it meant that he wouldn't be attempting to take over the world or be in a position to pass the information over to Riddle, but, it also meant Lucius knew he'd be rejoining him when the time came. "Yes, I can do it," Adriana said quietly.  
  
  
  
"Now?"  
  
  
  
"All right," Adriana said, "Close your eyes, and lie back, this will take some time." Adriana closed her eyes and concentrated hard on the task at hand. She had to single out the memories Lucius wanted erased from all of his others. But memories have a way of entangling themselves in others, and make it difficult to erase completely. Even though she had his permission, Adriana felt as though she was violating Lucius' innermost thoughts. She had trouble holding herself back and only erasing the memories Lucius wanted to be rid of. She knew the painful things he'd told her, and saw some new things she wished she could take from him. But she couldn't do that, she didn't have the right. When she was sure she'd erased all the thoughts Lucius wanted gone, Adriana broke off contact with him and opened her eyes.   
  
  
  
She didn't know how long this had taken, but the water in the bath had grown cold, and she hadn't noticed it. Breathless, Adriana looked at Lucius, told him to open his eyes, and observed that the level of fear in his eyes was much less now. Exhausted, it took all of her strength to climb out of the tub and get dressed.  
  
  
  
Lucius was equally exhausted and felt extremely vulnerable as he dressed. He knew Adriana had seen memories he wished he didn't have, but he knew she could be trusted. And though he couldn't remember what it was that she had erased for him, he knew it was important, and was very grateful to her for all of her help. Together they walked into the bedroom, collapsed on the bed and slept for the rest of the day, all through the night, and well into the next morning.  
  
  
  
  
  
Albus had heard the report of the Masque from Snape and was most displeased. Not with Snape, it wasn't his fault, but he should have known Lucius would've been able to worm his way back into her affections. And she'd been doing so well lately too.   
  
  
  
Snape hadn't known where Adriana had gone until the Masque was over and he and Narcissa Malfoy were the only two left in the ballroom. Snape's evening went from bad to worse as he realized he'd failed Albus. Trying to put off the inevitable, he played the perfect gentleman and escorted Narcissa home. If he was lucky, he'd be able to slip back into Hogwarts, retreat to the dungeons, and get some sleep before Albus asked for his report of the night. But Albus had stayed awake and summoned him to his office for the report as soon as he'd returned to the school.  
  
  
  
Albus was actually very calm when he heard the terrible news. He didn't yell, throw, kick, or kill anything. His knuckles turned white as he balled his hands into fists, and the vein on his right temple throbbed; those were the only signs of agitation. He explained calmly to Snape that he'd give Adriana a couple of days with Lucius to sate her appetite, before going over to her house and seeing to the matter himself. Snape wasn't sure who had more to worry about: Lucius or Adriana. He was just glad that he didn't have to be there for whatever happened in a few days.  
  
  
  
The morning after Adriana erased Lucius' memory, he was in the kitchen preparing breakfast, while Adriana was in the barn milking the cow, when he heard a knock on the door. "Who the hell could that be? And how did they get past the perimeter?" Lucius thought to himself as he turned off the stove before walking to the door. He couldn't have been more displeased to see anybody in his life, then when he opened the door and found himself standing face-to-face with Dumbledore. "You! What do you want? Haven't you caused enough trouble already with your meddling?" Lucius hissed at him.   
  
  
  
Albus glared at Lucius. "Trouble? You want to talk about trouble? Look at all the problems you've created. You're lucky I don't--"  
  
  
  
"Don't what?" Lucius interrupted. "Don't kill me? You're not the type to use an Avada curse on a man now, Dumbledore. Besides, you're not going to do anything to me. Adriana told me how you slept together. And while I find that thought in and of itself repulsive, what I find thoroughly disgusting is the fact that you'd use a young girl like that. She said it was a long time ago. She must have been at Hogwarts still. A student Dumbledore, I wonder what the Ministry would think about such a thing," Lucius shook his head disapprovingly.  
  
  
  
Dumbledore's eyes grew wide. "Adriana told you that? Where is she?" Not waiting for an answer, he called out to her, though Lucius never heard a word.   
  
  
  
Sitting on the stool in the barn, milking the cow, Adriana clapped her hands to her head and tried to shut out the yelling in her mind. She yelled back, telling Albus to shut up. She'd had time to think about things over the last few days, and found she resented Albus for telling her what to do. The pain she'd felt over the last several months had been because he told her to break up with Lucius. Standing up, Adriana apparated back to the house to save time.   
  
  
  
As soon as Albus caught sight of Adriana, he called out to her in his mind, "Adriana, what are you doing? I thought we'd decided it was best to never see him," Albus jerked a thumb in Lucius direction, "again."  
  
  
  
"You decided you mean. Besides there's no problem anymore, everything's been taken care of," Adriana said silently, glaring at Albus.  
  
  
  
"What do you mean?" Albus asked.  
  
  
  
"I wiped his memories of the museum and everything he's been researching. He doesn't remember anything," Adriana explained.  
  
  
  
Lucius looked extremely frustrated, "Will you two talk out loud? Look, I know you can talk to each other in your minds, but all this silence is terrible."  
  
  
  
"So, you took him back?" Albus asked out loud.   
  
  
  
"Yes I did, thank you very much," Adriana answered haughtily.  
  
  
  
"Do you know how much stress you're causing me?" He asked Adriana.  
  
  
  
"Well, you know, you should have just married me when I wanted you to, and none of this would be happening, right?" Adriana put her hands on her hips.  
  
  
  
"We are not going to go over that again, it's ancient history! I have to get back to Hogwarts. I guess you two are going to continue seeing one another, no matter what I try to do, so I'm not going to anymore. You're on your own now Adriana. Don't come running to me the next time he breaks your heart or you do something stupid." With that, Albus apparated out of Lucius and Adriana's sight.  
  
  
  
Adriana sighed. She hated it when she fought with Albus. Turning to walk into the bathroom, she was faced with a thoroughly confused and upset Lucius. "You two were going to get married?"  
  
  
  
"Oh, not now Lucius, please!" Adriana said as she walked to the bathroom and locked herself inside. 


	25. Girl's Day Out

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Girls Day Out  
  
Adriana had left Lucius back at her house to listen to his Elvis records. He had returned to the manor a week or so after New Year's and brought all of his stuff back, plus his records and record player, to her place. His obsession with Hitler seemed to have been replaced by Elvis. When Lucius had asked about him, she had let it slip that Elvis had died. This had so upset Lucius, that he needed some time alone to listen to his music. And while Adriana loved The King, she needed a break from him, and had retreated to Diagon Alley for some window shopping.  
  
Wandering in and out of shops, she perused the books at Flourish and Blotts and looked at the robes hanging in the window of Madam Malkin's. Adriana walked into Ollivander's Wand Shop to look around. She hadn't used a wand in a long time and wanted to see if there were any new models created since she had.   
  
  
  
Adriana gazed at the boxes of wands. There were so many of them, she had forgotten how many different types there were. Mr. Ollivander appeared from around a corner, smiled, and said, "And how are you today? Can I help you find a wand?" Mr. Ollivander stopped and scrutinized Adriana. "You look familiar to me, yet I can't place your name. This is so odd! I never forget a face."   
  
  
  
Adriana smiled sheepishly. "That doesn't surprise me, it's been a long time since I was here buying my wand for Hogwarts. My name's Adriana Orendes."  
  
  
  
"Adriana Orendes, ah, now it's coming back to me. It has been a while since you were here last! Let me see if I remember your wand correctly. Willow, ashwinder ash, swishy, 7 inches. Yes, that was it! What brings you back here?"   
  
  
  
"Oh, I was just looking around. Well I must be going now, it was nice to see you again," Adriana smiled at Mr. Ollivander, thanked him, and left the store.  
  
  
  
Though it was a chilly February day, Adriana was sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Shop, alone at a table. She was thoroughly enjoying a dish of peach and raspberry ice cream when she saw a familiar face emerge from one of the clothing shops. "Mrs. Malfoy!" She called out.  
  
  
  
Narcissa looked over to where the voice had come from and saw Adriana smiling at her. Mildly annoyed, she walked over to the girl at the table, her passel of house elves trailing behind her. "Miss Orendes, how...unexpected to see you here," She frowned down at Adriana.  
  
  
  
"Mrs. Malfoy, how are you today? I see you've been doing some shopping, fun!" Adriana said, looking at the house elves bearing many parcels. "Please, sit down, let me buy you an ice cream," Adriana invited. Narcissa looked reluctant to join her. "Lucius won't do anything if that's what you're worried about. And if he does, I'll take care of him," Adriana explained, hoping to convince her.  
  
  
  
Narcissa considered sitting down and ordering a chocolate fudge sundae, she hadn't had one since she'd married Lucius. The thought of Lucius brought memories of him locking her in her room last summer holiday for putting too much sugar on her porridge. Making up her mind, she sat down across from Adriana and ordered the sundae.  
  
  
  
As Narcissa savoured her ice cream, Adriana tried to convince her that it would be a good idea to venture into London and continue their shopping together. "Just ditch the elves and go out and have a day on the town. London's got some great clothing stores, you'd love it!"   
  
  
  
Didn't Adriana realize that Narcissa didn't have the freedom that she did? This free-spirited girl was bound to get her beaten by Lucius again. Shopping in London was a terrible idea, and no good would come of it, but for some reason, Narcissa wanted to go. Adriana was nothing if not unpredictable. Narcissa had been predictable for her entire life, and now she was ready for a change.   
  
  
  
"I can't just leave the elves, they're not too bright, and I don't know if they would find their way back to the manor," Narcissa began slowly.   
  
  
  
"Too bad Muggles don't know about house elves, or we could take them with us," Adriana replied. "Unless..." She broke off, deep in thought.  
  
  
  
Narcissa narrowed her eyes. "What? What are you thinking?"  
  
  
  
"What if we took them into London? They're the same size as kids. What if you dress them up as children?" Adriana thought out loud.  
  
  
  
"That's a horrible idea. I can't give them clothes, then they'd be free!" Narcissa sneered at Adriana.  
  
  
  
"Oh, you're right. I forgot about that. Well, there must be something we can do with them..." Adriana began to think again.  
  
  
  
"I mean, if you gave them clothes, then there'd be no problem, but otherwise..." Narcissa folded her arms and looked innocently into the sky.  
  
  
  
"See? Now you're getting the hang of it! The key is to not think of the consequences of your actions. That's always led to a lot of fun in my life," Adriana smiled at Narcissa.   
  
  
  
Adriana walked back to Madam Malkin's shop and bought some appropriate clothes for the elves to wear. When she returned, she put the clothes on the elves, stood back, and evaluated them. Tapping a finger on her chin, she tilted her head, and said, "I think they'll pass. Just don't let them speak and we should be fine."  
  
  
  
Adriana began walking towards the brick wall that blocked off London from the Wizarding World. Narcissa and the elves followed behind her. Suddenly the wall opened and they were able to walk through, onto the other side. The cold, gray streets of London lay before them, full of wonderful stores waiting to be explored.  
  
  
  
The two women wandered in and out of the clothing shops, dragging the elfin "children" along with them. Adriana was surprised at how forceful Narcissa could be in such a situation. She'd always seemed so quiet and submissive before, but shopping seemed to be Narcissa's forte. She exchanged harsh words with a clerk for not having a sequined silver and green evening dress in her size. "Can't you just make one then?" She asked angrily. Adriana had decided it was time to leave shortly after that, before they came to blows.  
  
  
  
The next store sold lingerie and Adriana insisted on stopping there. "You need to buy something, Mrs. Malfoy, you never know when you're going to meet the right man and you'll need to look your best," Adriana said as she dragged Narcissa into the store.   
  
  
  
"But I'm not looking for another man," Narcissa had mumbled as she was being led into the store.  
  
  
  
"Then do it for yourself. That's all the reason you really need anyway," Adriana replied, looking Narcissa in the eye carefully as she spoke.   
  
  
  
It was Adriana's turn to take command in this store. She tried on several teddies and nightgowns before deciding on an emerald green lace teddy. She wasn't satisfied until she found matching green nylons that went up to her mid thighs and were held up by straps connected to the bottom of the teddy. Emerald green high heels completed the outfit. She liked it so much she bought a matching outfit in midnight blue.  
  
  
  
Adriana convinced Narcissa to try a few items on, but she refused to step out of the dressing room to show off. When Narcissa reemerged from the dressing room, she had chosen a very tasteful and respectable blue flowered nightgown that covered her entire body from the neck all the way down to her toes. Adriana sighed, "Well, baby steps I suppose," she thought to herself.  
  
  
  
The next stop was a sweet shop. Muggle sweets of all shapes and sizes could be found on shelves that went on as far as the eye could see. Narcissa had never seen so many different types of sweets before, even in the Wizarding world. Her mouth started to water as she tried to decide what to buy. There were all sorts of gummy candies, chocolates, and sour candies, and Narcissa wanted them all. She bought small amounts of everything and ended up spending several hundred of Adriana's quid when all was said and done.   
  
  
  
Adriana decided that the next step was to sneak the sweets into a movie. There was a cinema several blocks away that played old movies. When they got there, she saw that Gone With the Wind was starting soon. She bought tickets for their whole party and they prepared for a long afternoon of movie watching. Adriana explained the concept of a movie and the basic plot to Narcissa, who sounded mildly interested.  
  
  
  
The room grew dark and the curtain rose as the movie began to play. The two women were soon transported to the American South in the 1860's. Narcissa felt drawn to this world, for the women in it lived lives much like hers. She could sympathize with Melanie for having a husband who loved another woman, even though Narcissa didn't want Lucius' love. She saw Scarlett as a strong woman that she wished she could be more like. Narcissa was enamored with the clothing the women wore during this time period. She might have to have some dresses made to match the ones in the movie.   
  
  
  
The hours passed quickly and before either of them knew it, the movie had ended. Adriana sighed and looked over at Narcissa. "So, what did you think of your very first movie?"  
  
  
  
Narcissa was still looking at the now blank screen. "It was wonderful. I had no idea what to expect, but it was very enjoyable." Narcissa smiled.  
  
  
  
"I'm starving, you want to get something to eat?" Adriana asked.  
  
  
  
"Sure," Narcissa was famished. Standing up, the women woke up the sleeping elves and gathered all their bags to leave the cinema.  
  
  
  
Adriana would have been fine with beer and pizza, but Narcissa insisted on a posh, upscale restaurant. As they sat in an Italian restaurant, Isolabella, that Adriana had heard wonderful reviews for, they talked about the movie over wine while waiting for their food. "The thing that always gets to me is, Scarlett seems like the strong one in the movie, but it's really Melanie who's the truly strong one. Scarlett was all looks and charm, but Melanie had an inner strength that everybody around her depended on," Adriana said.  
  
  
  
Narcissa hadn't really thought about it that way, but could see what she meant. "And don't forget those outfits, I'd love to wear clothes like that," Narcissa said, smiling.  
  
  
  
Adriana chuckled, "Well from what I know about those dresses, they're not the most comfortable things to wear."  
  
  
  
When their food arrived, the two women ate in silence for several minutes, savouring their meals. Narcissa had ordered the fettuccine Alfredo after Adriana had assured her it was the most fattening item on the menu, and Adriana enjoyed the saltimbocca with potato gnocchi.   
  
  
  
"You know, I watched the same movie with Lucius, and he didn't get it at all. He can be so dense sometimes," Adriana said, shaking her head, yet smiling at the same time.  
  
  
  
"Well, he tends to be dense most of the time, so be warned," Narcissa replied, as she twirled the strands of pasta onto her fork.   
  
  
  
"I know he's not the world's smartest man, but he's really starting to try now. I think he's trying to be a better person. Although, that could take a lifetime to do. Lucius progresses slowly, it's always two steps forward and one and three quarter steps back for him," Adriana said slowly.  
  
  
  
"I'd be shocked and amazed it that actually ever happens. That man will never change, you mark my words Miss Orendes," Narcissa said cynically.  
  
  
  
"Please, call me Adriana. And people can change, if they want to, all they have to do is try," Adriana said.  
  
  
  
"Poor, naive, deluded girl," Narcissa thought silently. "We've been married since I was sixteen, and he's never improved," She told Adriana. "And what's more, he doesn't want to change. He goes through short periods where he stops, but he always starts it up again." Narcissa looked down at her plate, her appetite gone.  
  
  
  
Adriana knew she was talking about last summer holiday and the Quidditch match. She knew in her heart that Lucius had changed since that incident. But she would never be able to convince Narcissa of that. "Well, the next time he tries something, just tell him to shut the hell up. I tell him that at least once a day, to keep him in his place. It's good for him. Men are like dogs, you know. They need to be kept on a short leash and know who's in charge," Adriana said as she stabbed a gnocchi with her fork before popping it into her mouth.  
  
  
  
Narcissa thought about doing that to Lucius. She imagined the horrible, slow death he'd put her through for such a thing. She wondered if Adriana was kidding, or if she really said such things to him. She wouldn't put it past her to do something like that. Adriana had for more nerve than she ever would.   
  
  
  
After eating, Adriana stopped by a book store for a few minutes and wouldn't show Narcissa what she'd bought. It was 7:00 and the evening was winding down. Both women were tired and had several bags between them to carry, not to mention all the bags the elves were carrying. As they stepped back inside the wall to Diagon Alley, they set the bags down to organize whose was whose. Adriana discreetly took a few select items out of her bags and placed them in Narcissa's before handing the bags to her.  
  
  
  
"Well, today has been a lot of fun...Can I ask you something?" Adriana asked, looking at Narcissa.  
  
  
  
"What?" Narcissa said.  
  
  
  
"May I call you Narcissa? It's such a beautiful name," Adriana smiled.  
  
  
  
Blushing, Narcissa stared at he feet. "All right, Adriana," She answered quietly.  
  
  
  
"Well, then I wish you a good evening, Narcissa," Adriana smiled, grabbed her bags, and apparated back to her house.   
  
  
  
Lucius took some of the bags out of her arms when she apparated in front of him. "Those look heavy, let me help you," He said, kissing her in greeting.   
  
  
  
"So, what did you end up doing today?" Adriana asked.  
  
  
  
"Well, after I listened to all the records, I watched the telly. I watched the most fascinating program, Coronation Street. All these Muggles with all sorts of problems, who knew it could be interesting. Then I made myself lunch, milked the cow, and took a nap." Lucius sounded quite proud of his accomplishments. He knew she'd be impressed with all the things he was now capable of doing by himself. "And what did you do today?" He asked Adriana.  
  
  
  
"Oh, I just went into London for a little shopping," She replied. "I bought an outfit that I think you might like," Adriana said as she walked into the bedroom.   
  
  
  
Lucius did in fact like the outfit as she showed it off in front of him. Actually, he loved the outfit, but he loved taking it off of her even more, and so did she.  
  
  
  
When Narcissa returned to the manor, she and the elves brought her bags to up to her room. As she unpacked, she came across the bag Adriana had put some items in. In it she found a novel of Gone With the Wind, the midnight blue outfit Adriana had bought herself, and a note.  
  
Narcissa,  
  
Here's a little something for a wonderful evening to yourself. Take a nice, long, hot bubble bath, put on the clothes, pour yourself a brandy, and read the book. Enjoy!  
  
-Adriana  
  
Narcissa stared at the clothes. Even though nobody would see her, she didn't know if she'd have the guts to do what the note said. An image of Scarlett O'Hara formed in Narcissa's mind. She'd do something like that, in a heartbeat. Determined to be like her heroine, she slowly walked to her bathroom and began to pour herself a bath.   
  
She ended up having a very good night. 


	26. El Gato Diablo

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
El Gato Diablo  
  
Lucius tried his best not to get too close to Adriana, because he knew he wouldn't be able to stay, even if he wanted to, but he felt his love for her grow with each passing day. He'd never told Adriana that he was in love with her. Lucius loved his life when he was living with her at the farm. Their days were filled with preparing the farm for the spring, talking, eating, and making love. The days flew by so quickly and pleasantly, he was almost able to forget about the almost daily twinges and burns his tattoo emitted. When Adriana saw him grab his arm one afternoon, she'd asked why she couldn't remove the tattoo for him. Lucius had told her that not even her magic could remove it. What he hadn't told her was that he wasn't sure if he wanted it removed or not. Even though the pain was terrible, he still felt excited over his lord's imminent return.   
  
  
  
Lucius was thinking of none of this one afternoon when he and Adriana were walking through a department store in a nearby town. They were shopping for a new bed and Lucius was trying to convince Adriana to buy a king-sized one. Adriana didn't buy new beds frequently, but seeing as the one they'd shared for several months had broken during last night's unbridled passion, in which both participants had ended up on the floor, she thought it was time for a new one.   
  
  
  
Adriana wasn't sure she wanted a larger bed, she'd have to buy all new sheets and comforters, and she liked the ones she had. But Lucius explained all of the advantages of having more room to do things in, and convinced her to upgrade to the king size.   
  
  
  
It took a couple of hours to find the right bed to please both Lucius and Adriana. She settled on a four poster mahogany frame with a firm, king-sized mattress. It took another hour to pick out all new sheets and comforters. And it only made sense to buy all new pillows to match. After arranging to have all of their purchases delivered to the house, the couple left the store and walked through the streets.  
  
  
  
After lunch in a sandwich shop, they walked down the sidewalk side-by-side and passed by a pet store. Adriana stopped at the window and then walked inside, Lucius following behind her. She cooed and squealed at all the kittens and puppies. Lucius rolled his eyes in disgust. "She's probably like that around babies too," He thought silently to himself.  
  
  
  
Adriana stopped by a cage containing three kittens. One was a beautiful bronze and black mottled kitten that resembled a miniature cheetah. The sign on the cage said it was an Egyptian Mau. She spent 10 minutes playing with it and speaking to it with a high pitched voice. Lucius walked around the store, waiting for her to be finished. Finally tearing herself away, Adriana called Lucius and they left the store.  
  
  
  
As they drove home, Lucius asked Adriana why she didn't buy the cat. It was obvious she liked it. "I don't know," She replied, shrugging. "I guess I don't really need a cat."  
  
  
  
"But you want one, you should get it," Lucius said. Adriana didn't respond, but drove silently. They began to talk about how to rearrange the bedroom to fit the new bed, and all thoughts of a cat flew out of his head.  
  
  
  
That night was spent sleeping on the old mattress on the floor. The couple eagerly awaited the arrival of the new bed the next day. Luckily the delivery man arrived early and they were able to spend the day setting up the room. That evening was spent breaking in the new bed. Adriana was amazed at how much more room they had, and the couple made sure to inaugurate each inch of it.  
  
  
  
The next morning, Lucius was in a great mood, borrowed Flynn, and drove back to the town they'd been in. He stopped at the pet store and went inside. The Egyptian Mau was still there, and Lucius wanted to buy it for Adriana. She wanted it and he thought he should give her everything she desired. It was a pricey kitten, so Lucius knew it was from good stock. The clerk helped him pick out all the items needed for a cat: litter box, litter, food, and toys. None of the collars seemed to be suitable for such a cat, so Lucius took all of the supplies, put them in Flynn, and walked the kitten across the street to a jewelry shop. With the help of the clerks, he picked out gems to put onto a collar fit for Adriana's kitten. It took over an hour to make, but Lucius emerged with one diamond and emerald clad kitty that he couldn't wait to take home to Adriana.   
  
  
  
As Lucius drove home, the kitten, who'd been placed in a box to keep it safe, hissed and growled at him. He'd never had any pets while growing up, they made far too much mess to have around the manor, so he didn't really understand the appeal of them. But Adriana wanted one, and that's all that was important.  
  
  
  
Adriana was awake by the time he returned home with his present. She was reading in bed when he went inside. "I bought something for you," Lucius said, holding the kitten behind his back, keeping a calm face while it bit his hand.   
  
  
  
"Oh? What is it?" She asked curiously, closing her book and looking up at Lucius.  
  
  
  
"Close your eyes," He commanded. When she obeyed, he lay down on the bed next to her, placed the kitten on her lap, and told her to open her eyes.  
  
  
  
Adriana opened her eyes and looked down. She beamed, "Oh, Lucius, you bought it for me?" Adriana rewarded Lucius with a kiss. "You're such a dear!" Picking up the kitten and nuzzling it, she said, "It needs a name, what should we call it?"   
  
  
  
Lucius reached out to pet the kitten, when it swiped at him. "That devil cat! It's been like that this whole time! I don't think it likes me," He said.  
  
  
  
"Devil cat, eh? El Gato Diablo, I like that. We'll call him Diablo for short, what do you think?"   
  
  
  
Eyeing the cat who stared back at him, Lucius replied, "I think it's perfect."  
  
  
  
Adriana got out of the bed, picked the kitten up, and nuzzled it lovingly. "Aren't you just the sweetest wittle thing, yes you are, yes you are," She cooed. Lucius wondered if he'd made a mistake in buying the cat for her. Holding the kitten, Adriana left the room and looked at all the items Lucius had gotten for him. She set up water and food dishes, filled his litter box, and opened his toys. She spent the rest of the afternoon playing and bonding with the kitten.   
  
  
  
Every time Lucius tried to play with him, the kitten swiped and hissed at him. The kitten scratched his leg when Lucius walked past him. "Ah, that bloody cat!" He'd yelled. Adriana picked Diablo up, held him to her chest, and said, "He didn't mean that Diablo, he's just a big old meany, isn't he?" Diablo purred and kneaded her shirt. Lucius shook his head and walked out of the room to get away from them.   
  
  
  
Diablo's first night was memorable. Adriana had set up his bed, wrapped him up tightly, and sung him a lullaby before leaving the living room. She made sure to leave a nightlight on, in case he woke up and was scared of the dark.  
  
  
  
Lucius was sitting up in bed with his arms crossed, waiting for Adriana to come in the room. "Are you finished with That Cat, yet?" He asked when she finally arrived.  
  
  
  
"Yes, he finally went to sleep, the little angel," She smiled at Lucius. Sauntering over to Lucius, she spoke, "You know, I've been trying to find ways to thank you for getting Diablo for me. And I think I came up with the perfect way..." Adriana slowly took her clothes off, climbed into bed, and proceeded to "thank" Lucius.   
  
  
  
Things were going smoothly until a couple of hours later. Lucius was far under the bedcovers, deeply involved in what he was doing. He heard tiny cries coming from somewhere, and thought it was Adriana. But when he heard another cry, that was distinctly hers, he knew it had to be That Cat. Lucius stopped and called out to Adriana, "I can't do this with That Cat crying outside the door!"  
  
  
  
Adriana was panting, "Oh, don't stop now, Lucius, just ignore it, he'll go away if we don't let him in."  
  
  
  
Lucius sighed and went back to what he'd been doing. When they were finished, Lucius reemerged from under the covers and put his strong arms around Adriana. They had almost fallen asleep when That Cat started crying outside the door again. Lucius groaned as Adriana got out of the bed, went to the door, opened it and picked Diablo up. "What's the matter? Are you lonely? Aw, poor kitty, you're so sad," She said in the high pitched voice again.   
  
  
  
Adriana got back into the bed and put Diablo between her and Lucius. "Now you won't be lonely," She said to the cat. Adriana kissed the kitten goodnight. "Kiss him goodnight, Lucius," She commanded. Sighing, Lucius bent down and gave the cat a small peck on the head. Diablo growled and hissed at him.  
  
  
  
Several hours later, Lucius and Adriana were fast asleep, when Lucius woke up. He couldn't breathe. Diablo was sitting on his throat, his golden eyes glowing as he glared at Lucius. When Lucius tried to brush him off, Diablo attacked his hand, leaving several scratches and punctures on it. "Ow," Lucius whispered. Grabbing the cat by the scruff of the neck, he picked it up and put him over by Adriana. Just as he was about to fall asleep, he felt Diablo head-butting his shoulder. Opening his eyes, Lucius looked at Diablo. The cat growled at him again and continued to ram into him. "You bastard! I ought to tear your whiskers out!" Lucius whispered harshly at the cat. The cat swiped at his eyes, but Lucius rolled out of the way in time. Unfortunately, he rolled right out of the bed and onto the floor. Standing up quietly, he stood over the kitten who'd settled into the pillow that Lucius' head had been on just moments before. Fuming, he thought about what to do. He wanted to pick the cat up and throw it across the room, but a very tiny part of him was a little bit scared of what Diablo would do if he did so. The cat was insane, that was very clear to him. Instead, Lucius walked to a chair, took the pillow off of it, went to the wardrobe and took out a blanket. Quietly opening the bedroom door, Lucius went to the living room, and made a bed on the couch. He slept there till the morning, undisturbed by That Cat.  
  
  
  
Adriana found him with his arms around the pillow on the couch. "Aw," Adriana gazed at the man she loved, "How cute!" She knelt down next to Lucius and saw how his hand was covered in bites and scratches. Gently healing his hand, she kissed his face, and watched as his eyes fluttered open. "That Cat is Satan incarnate," He croaked.  
  
  
  
Adriana smiled and kissed Lucius again. "Maybe we can make him an outdoor cat, how about that?" She asked.  
  
  
  
"Can we feed him to Hitchcock?" He grinned evilly.  
  
  
  
"That's horrible, no we cannot!" Adriana said, playfully hitting him on the arm.  
  
  
  
Lucius grabbed Adriana and pulled her down on top of him. They wrestled around for several minutes, laughing and kissing one another. After they had caught their breath, Lucius jumped up and ran towards the bedroom. "Here, kitty, kitty," He called out to Diablo.   
  
  
  
Adriana ran after him, "What are you going to do?" She asked.   
  
  
  
Lucius picked up the kitten carefully, and left the room, walking towards the back door. He grinned as he opened the door and threw the cat gently on the ground and shut the door behind it. "Good riddance, Diablo," He said, leaning against the door, as though the cat might try to break back into the house. Adriana stood next to him and nuzzled his chest when Lucius put his arm around her and held her close to him. Kissing the top of her head, he said, "Would you like me to buy you a new kitten? Maybe the next one I buy won't be insane!"  
  
  
  
"That's ok," Adriana looked up and kissed Lucius on the chin. "You're animal enough for me, but thank you for offering." The couple spent the chilly March day, wrapped in blankets, lying on the couch, watching the telly.   
  
  
  
Diablo became the best barn cat Adriana had ever had, earning his keep with all the mice he caught. He and Hitchcock became fast friends who hunted together every night, keeping watch over Adriana's property. Lucius made sure to never go near him ever again. 


	27. A Camping We Will Go

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Wicked Lee: Welcome back! I've missed hearing from you! I hope you like this chapter, it's the beginning of some pretty important things to happen between Lucius and Adriana and I can't wait to see what you think!  
  
TavingtonRose: I'm glad your mono is getting better, that's great to hear. I'm glad you're still enjoying this story, it's been a challenge to write this and the last few chapters and I'm very grateful for the feedback. Enjoy!  
  
A Camping We Will Go  
  
The weather was vastly improved by late April, and Adriana thought it would be a fun experience for Lucius to go camping, Muggle style. Her property was large enough to camp out on. Lucius had enjoyed camping during the Quidditch World Cup the previous summer holiday, and assumed it would be similar. It didn't take him a long time to see how wrong he was.  
  
  
  
Adriana had filled two backpacks with food, and all the supplies they'd need for a couple of days away from the house. Lucius complained about how heavy the pack was as they walked out of the house. "We Malfoys weren't made for such heavy lifting!" He continued to complain as they walked to the side of her property, "My feet are killing me!" and while they traipsed through the trees to an isolated area of her land. The entire hike lasted about 20 minutes and Lucius complained for about nineteen and a half of those minutes.  
  
  
  
Adriana found a small clearing among the trees and took off her pack, Lucius followed suit. Stretching his aching muscles, Lucius looked around. A small stream trickled lazily through the clearing. The sun filtered down in mottled patches on the grassy ground. Birds sang loudly in the distance and flowers bloomed all around the clearing. A tree stump stuck out of the ground that looked as if it would make a nice seat.   
  
  
  
The couple opened their packs and began taking items out of them. Lucius had a tent in his, and Adriana told him to set it up while she unpacked the rest of their equipment. Lucius opened the bag and the tent and poles fell into a tangled mess on the ground. Kicking at them in frustration, he sighed, bent down, and began to untangle it all. After finally freeing all the poles, the job of putting them all together in the right order still had to be done. It took over an hour to put the tent together. When he was finished, Lucius looked around to see what Adriana had done.  
  
  
  
The tree stump now had a tablecloth with a bowl and pitcher on top of it. Instead of water in the pitcher, dried flowers peeked out of it. Adriana had gathered stones and placed them in a ring several feet from the tent. She'd found wood and had started a fire which was roaring and snapping sparks into the air. Collapsible chairs had been set up around the fire, and a small table was set between them. A larger table next to the tent held all the food and cooking supplies. Lucius was incredulous, "You had all of that in your backpack?"  
  
  
  
"Yep. That reminds me, we'll have to watch Mary Poppins when we get home. It's amazing some of the stuff in that movie, I swear they must have had insider information. It's eerie how accurate some of the things she does are. Of course we don't need umbrellas to fly now, do we?" Adriana smiled at Lucius.  
  
  
  
Lucius was thoroughly confused, yet smiled and said, "I'll look forward to seeing it."   
  
  
  
Adriana handed two sleeping bags to Lucius, "Put these in the tent, will you, love?"  
  
  
  
Lucius unzipped the front flap of the tent and stuck his head inside. He was confused, there were no rooms, no floor, no beds. There was only a small space for the two of them to cram themselves into. "Hey, Adriana, something's wrong with the tent, I think it might be broken," He called out to her, placing the sleeping bags in the tent, pulling his head back out, and standing up.  
  
  
  
Adriana asked what was wrong and Lucius explained about how small the tent was. "It's supposed to be like that, Lucius, it's a Muggle tent. But if it's any consolation, just think of how close we'll have to be to each other tonight," Adriana winked, ran a fingertip down his chest and stomach, then twined it around his belt, pulled him towards her, and kissed him passionately. Lucius began to get excited about his first night in a Muggle tent.  
  
  
  
Adriana shooed Lucius off so she could make lunch. Lucius wandered around the woods for a while, exploring the nature surrounding him. There were beautiful blue star-shaped flowers carpeting the forest floor, and Lucius bent down to pick a bouquet for Adriana. He realized he'd never brought her flowers before, and felt bad about that. This bouquet had to be perfect. As he looked up at one point in time, he saw a doe and her fawn in the distance. Kneeling down and remaining silent, Lucius watched the two as they walked out of his sight. Though he could no longer see them, he remained rooted to the spot he was kneeling in. He couldn't explain why that small and insignificant scene had affected him so much, but it had. Shaking his head, Lucius stood up and walked back to camp. Along the way, one of the flowers he'd picked for her fell out of his grasp and into the creek. Bending down to retrieve it, he was disappointed that it was too far out of his reach for him to save it.   
  
  
  
Lucius hid behind a tree for several minutes after he returned to the camp. He debated with himself over whether to give her the now tarnished bouquet or not. She deserved more than his imperfections. He listened to Adriana humming to herself, smiling at the happy, nonsensical tune she was humming. After all this time, she still made him feel like a nervous schoolboy, with a crush on a girl who was far too good for him. Deciding to give them to her anyway, Lucius waited a few more seconds, building up his confidence to give her something that didn't meet his standards. Sighing, he stepped out from behind the tree, and greeted Adriana.  
  
  
  
She loved her flowers, and put them in the pitcher, tossing away the dried ones to make room. Lucius saved one flower to tuck into her hair. Looking deep into her eyes, Lucius' heart began to pound, and he began to feel breathless. He couldn't hold himself back anymore. He had to tell her, there wasn't much time left. "Adriana...I...I love you," He stammered. His face grew bright red, and he looked at the ground.  
  
  
  
Adriana's eyes grew wide and filled with tears. "Oh Lucius, I've waited for so long to hear that from you," She whispered while throwing her arms around him. Holding tightly to one another, they kissed and whispered words of love to each other.  
  
  
  
Adriana was overcome with joy from Lucius' words. She wanted the two of them to stay like this forever. Just her and Lucius, that's all she needed. But she knew he might not stay. How could she make him stay? There was one way that might work, but it was no small undertaking. Did she want such a responsibility? She wanted Lucius, and if that's what it took, then that's what she'd do.   
  
  
  
Adriana and Lucius sat down to eat in front of the fire. They chatted and laughed while they ate. After lunch, Lucius went for another walk. His mind was still reeling from telling Adriana he loved her. He was excited, nervous, happy, and scared all at the same time. His tattoo throbbed slightly, but Lucius chose to ignore it. For one day at least, he was going to be happy and not let the inevitable ruin it.  
  
  
  
Lucius looked around, wondering if he'd see the deer and her baby again. Thinking of those animals, and the care the mother had for her child, Lucius' thoughts turned to his wife and son. He thought of Narcissa and the horrible things he'd done to her. It felt like a lifetime ago since he'd entertained thoughts of beating her. He didn't love her and never would, but he no longer wanted to be cruel to her. He thought of Draco and how he had neglected him over the years. He could have been a better father. There was still time if he wanted to.  
  
  
  
Lucius stopped walking and held onto a tree tightly as the thoughts became overwhelming to him. He no longer was that harsh and hateful man, and moreover, he no longer wanted to be. He liked who he was now, loved Adriana and wanted to stay with her. But...Lucius cut off that thought before he could think it fully. Lucius sat down on the ground, leaning against the tree. Wrapping his arms around his legs, he remained where he was, sitting and thinking, until the sun set.   
  
  
  
When Lucius finally walked back to camp, he was cold and tired. Telling Adriana he wasn't hungry, Lucius took his shoes off and crawled into the tent. Opening the sleeping bags up, Lucius made a bed for them, and lay down on one half of it. Adriana followed suit a few minutes later. "What's the matter, love? I was getting worried," She said, a look of concern on her face.  
  
  
  
"Nothing, really, I've just had a really good time out here today and I'm really tired, that's all," Lucius smiled, reaching a hand to caress Adriana's cheek. Leaning over to kiss her, he took his time taking her clothes off. After taking his own clothes off, he pulled her towards him and moved on top of her. Being on the ground wasn't nearly as comfortable as being in a bed, and the two had to be careful to find positions where they didn't hurt themselves. Once they were comfortable, Lucius and Adriana made love with a passion and enthusiasm they'd never known before. The pleasure was heightened now that Lucius had told Adriana he loved her. Adriana opened herself up to Lucius further than she ever had before. It was with pure joy that she did so.   
  
  
  
During the night, Adriana was jolted awake. Her heart was racing and she felt jittery. Looking over at Lucius, she saw he was sleeping peacefully. Closing her eyes and concentrating on her body, she took deep breaths and tried to control her heart rate. Her hands brushed against her stomach. Opening her eyes once more, she looked down at herself, smiled, and whispered, "Hello," then wrapped her arms around Lucius and fell back to sleep. 


	28. The End of the Beginning

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Wicked Lee: I'm so glad you're enjoying this story, and I think this chapter will answer your question.   
  
TavingtonRose: I'm sorry to hear about your ear infection, I hope you feel better soon. But until then, here's the next chapter to enjoy.  
  
The End of the Beginning  
  
Adriana decided to wait until the first month of the pregnancy passed without incident before telling Lucius. She'd gotten her hopes up before only to be disappointed and didn't want to put him through that. Although she had a good feeling about this pregnancy. She had gotten morning sickness after only a couple of weeks, and yet was feeling stronger than she ever had before.   
  
  
  
Lucius had spent the same few weeks feeling overwhelmed with his life. He was happier than he'd ever been, yet felt more scared than he'd ever had at the same time. His tattoo throbbed almost incessantly now. Lord Voldemort would be returning soon and Lucius would have to go to his side. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. He didn't really know anything anymore. He had never thought about the fact that he was living in the Muggle world with Adriana, until now. Did he want to cause the woman he loved sadness? But to refuse to join Voldemort would be worse than a death sentence, not only for him, but for Adriana and his son as well.  
  
  
  
Adriana stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom one afternoon, admiring her reflection. She imagined her body eight months from now, swelled to capacity. She chuckled as a flash of Violet from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory entered her mind. Would Lucius have to roll her on her side and push her around every where? What would he think of her when she was so fat?   
  
  
  
The day before Adriana was going to tell Lucius she was pregnant, he had spent an hour cooking a perfect breakfast for the two of them. Bacon and eggs, toast, hash browns, and fresh-squeezed orange juice had been lovingly and painstakingly prepared. Adriana sat down at the table across from Lucius and looked at the food. The smell of eggs hit her like a ton of bricks and made her feel nauseous. Taking a deep breath, Adriana smiled and politely took a small bite of them and started to gag. Jumping up from the table, she ran to the bathroom and made it just in time to be sick in the toilet. She knelt for several minutes, retching her guts out until she was sure there was nothing left inside of her.   
  
  
  
Lucius walked into the room, rubbed her shoulders and asked, "Hey, what's the matter? You've been sick like this a lot lately."   
  
  
  
"Oh, I must have a bug or something..." Adriana replied vaguely.  
  
  
  
Lucius was about to reply, but clapped his hand over his tattoo instead. It felt like he was being stabbed. How could he pretend this wasn't going to come to anything? Why was he leading Adriana on? He needed to talk to her about this. Hopefully he'd coast his way through Voldemort's uprising and be able to come back to her. A small part of him still held out hope that she would join him, if nothing else than to bring him comfort that he was doing the right thing for his world and his people.  
  
  
  
The next several hours were spent quietly. Lucius flipped through the telly channels without paying attention to what he was watching. Adriana tried to read a book, but found she hadn't gotten past the paragraph she'd begun two hours before. Turning the telly off, Lucius walked into the kitchen and washed the dishes, trying to calm his nerves. How was he going to do this? How was he going to tell her he was leaving? If only he didn't love her so much. If only he was confident that he was right.  
  
  
  
Lucius' heart was pounding when he saw Adriana walk into the kitchen. Opening his mouth to speak, he found only silence emerged. Taking a deep breath, Lucius tried again. "Adriana, we need to talk," He said quietly.  
  
  
  
His heart almost broke when he saw Adriana's eyes grow wide, as though she knew what was coming. "I...He...Voldemort's going to return, soon, and my place it at his side. I have to go...," Lucius said in a small, hollow voice.  
  
  
  
"But you can't," Adriana pleaded with him. "Voldemort doesn't need you, he'll rise again without you," She said, grabbing Lucius' arm.  
  
  
  
"If I don't, he'll come after me, after you. I have no choice!" Lucius' voice began to rise in frustration.  
  
  
  
"Yes you do! The choice has always been yours to make. Stay here, with me, I'll protect you!" Adriana said, her voice rising to match his.  
  
  
  
As much as Lucius loved Adriana, the thought of letting a woman protect him was humiliating. And as much as he'd changed, in certain areas he remained much as he ever had been.  
  
  
  
"I don't need you to take care of me! I'm doing what I have to to take care of myself!" Lucius' eyes flashed with pride.  
  
  
  
"I know you can! I've never doubted you before. But do you really want to support him? Do you really believe all that he stands for?" Adriana was gripping Lucius' hand tightly.  
  
  
  
"Yes! Voldemort's going to bring about a new world order! There will only be wizards and witches left, Magical folk will have the run of the earth. Can you imagine the things we can do when the Muggles and Mudbloods are gone?" Lucius' eyes shone.  
  
  
  
"A world with no Muggles or Mudbloods?" Adriana withdrew her hand from Lucius'. "And how does Voldemort intend to do that?"   
  
  
  
"Just like last time, only he won't be stopped part way through by some stupid boy!" Lucius snarled at the thought of Harry Potter and how he'd ruined all of their plans.  
  
  
  
"You're just going to kill them all? Just round them all up and slaughter them? There's six billion people on this planet! What percentage of that is made up of magical people? There won't be enough left to repopulate the world, you'll all die out!" Adriana wasn't really sure if that was true or not, but thought it sounded impressive.  
  
  
  
Lucius grew angry over Adriana's dry logic. It was hard to fight against. Who did she think she was to show him up like that? "I'm doing the right thing! Why are you so against this? You're the most powerful witch I've ever known, don't you realize what you stand to gain from this?"  
  
  
  
"I'm not going to gain a damn thing! You're going to kill the people I love and take away the world I live in, and I'm supposed to be grateful? You have no idea! You have NO idea!" Adriana was screaming at Lucius now, wildness in her eyes. "There's going to be a war, and you and I will find ourselves on opposite sides. I'll fight for this world with every ounce of strength in my body, and if I have to kill you to do it, then so help me God, I will!"  
  
  
  
Lucius' eyes narrowed, and his voice was low and ominous. "You'd kill me? To save a stupid Mudblood? You'd kill me?"  
  
  
  
"If I had to. Why do you think I choose to live in the Muggle world? I know you've wondered, but have you actually considered the reasons why?" Adriana spoke in a calm voice.  
  
  
  
Lucius felt he was being set up. "No," He said shortly.  
  
  
  
"You are so blind, Lucius. I live among these people because I love them. I live with them, because I am one of them," Adriana spoke clearly and slowly, looking into Lucius' face to see his reaction.  
  
  
  
"What?" Lucius looked confused.  
  
  
  
"I AM A MUDBLOOD!" Adriana screamed. "You want to kill us all? Would you kill me? Round me up with all the others and put me under the Avada Curse? Look me in the eye and tell me you'd do that? Why don't you try now? It might work!" Adriana grabbed Lucius' arm and began to pull him towards herself.  
  
  
  
Lucius pushed her away, "Don't touch me! You bitch! All this time, you let me think...How dare you! You lied to me, how could you keep this from me?" Lucius looked down at his gloved hands, and felt as though he had just touched something dirty. He had the urge to wash his hands. How had he allowed himself to fall in love with a Mudblood?   
  
  
  
Tears streamed down Adriana's face, "Lucius, I--"  
  
  
  
"Don't talk to me Mudblood! Don't touch me, don't look at me!" Lucius snarled as he walked to the front door. Grabbing his walking stick, he opened the door, slammed it, and apparated back to Malfoy Manor.   
  
  
  
Adriana watched as the door shut in her face. How had this gone so horribly wrong? Why had she told him that? Was she trying to drive him away? Tears continued to fall as she clutched at her stomach, not because she was in pain, but because it was the only thing of Lucius' she had to hold onto at the moment. She had never been so glad in her life to have made a snap-second decision as she had done so a month ago.  
  
  
  
Grabbing a vase on a nearby table, Adriana threw it with all her might against the door. Fuming, Adriana burst into angry tears. Walking into the kitchen, she opened her cupboards and began throwing all the glasses and ceramic plates onto the floor, watching each of them smash into thousands of shards.   
  
  
  
Going into the bedroom to burn his clothes, Adriana stopped short as she held one of his shirts in her hands. It had his scent on it. Clutching it to her chest, she began to sob uncontrollably. He'd left her, he was never coming back. She didn't want to live if he wasn't in her life.   
  
  
  
When Lucius returned to Malfoy Manor, he was seething with anger. He gave the first house-elf he saw a brutal thrashing, but it brought him no relief to the pain he felt. She'd lied to him! This whole time, she made him think she was pure. He had slept with a Mudblood, he'd never be able to live that down. If his wand had worked at Adriana's house, he probably would have killed her and not given it a second thought. Lucius walked to the master bathroom and drew himself a bath. His only thought was of washing himself clean of the filth and memories of Adriana, and to prepare himself for his Lord's return.  
  
  
  
The next morning dawned brightly, but Adriana didn't notice it. She'd spent a sleepless night crying, and had no energy for sunrises. Her body seemed to take no pity on her state of mind, and cursed her with morning sickness that was worse than she'd ever experienced before. This was the one month mark, the day she was going to tell Lucius she was pregnant. She had to tell somebody. She'd always turned to Albus for comfort over the many years of knowing him, but after their argument about Lucius, they hadn't spoken to one another. She needed to talk to him, needed to feel his arms around her, holding her close, making her feel safe, protected, and loved.  
  
  
  
Adriana had to return to Hogwarts, so she thought about how to get there. Traveling by floo made her feel ill just thinking about it. While apparating during a pregnancy could be dangerous, she had enough control to be able to handle it. After dressing for the day in a conservative black dress suit, she apparated to Hogsmeade, the closest she could get to Hogwarts. The walk to the school wasn't long and helped Adriana clear her mind.  
  
  
  
It was lunch time when she arrived, but Adriana felt no hunger. She called out to Albus in her mind, but received no response. Walking to the gargoyle that hid his office, she called out again. Unable to open the door because she didn't know the password, Adriana looked around for somebody who did. After several minutes, she walked down the staircase to the main floor, and wandered around to look for Albus.  
  
  
  
Along the way, Adriana did have the displeasure of running into the one person at the school that she would have been happy to never see again: Draco Malfoy. He'd grown taller since she'd seen him a few years before at the trinket shop, and looked very much like his father.  
  
  
  
He stood before her, flanked by two large buffoonish lads who blocked the entire hallway. Draco examined the woman in front of him for a moment. She seemed somehow familiar. There was the memory of his father, and a trinket shop. And her laughing. And him thinking she was the prettiest woman he'd ever seen; he'd even had tingling feelings in certain body parts he'd never experienced before, but had really enjoyed. But now he knew...she was THAT woman. The one his mother constantly talked about. The one who took Father away from him.   
  
  
  
Draco scowled at Adriana. He couldn't believe he'd actually found her attractive that day when he'd first seen her. He saw her now through clearer eyes, and saw her for the ugly whore she truly was.   
  
  
  
"Excuse me, boys, I need to find Dumbledore, have you seen him?" Adriana asked, placing her hands on her hips authoritatively, hoping that the fluttering feeling in her stomach wasn't showing on her face.   
  
  
  
Draco took a step closer to her and stared at her carefully. Narcissa had told him a lot about her in the letters she sent with his care packages. She was the one Lucius spent all his time with. She was the reason Lucius treated him like shit. Draco looked down at her, she was small, if he wasn't in school, he would have been very tempted to avenge his honour. Barely containing his anger, he spoke, "I haven't seen him, have you Crabbe?" Standing on his left side, Crabbe shook his head. "Have you seen Dumbledore, Goyle?" Draco asked. To his right, Goyle shook his head as well. "We haven't seen Dumbledore, so sorry we couldn't help you," He said as sweetly as he could.  
  
  
  
Adriana looked at the boys, while calling out to Albus again. Finally he responded. He was in the Great Hall eating with the other students. Adriana turned around and walked away, wondering if all of Lucius' children would end up like Draco, leaving the boys leering after her.  
  
  
  
Adriana walked into the Great Hall and up to the table of professors. Albus looked at her and frowned. "What've you done now?" He asked.  
  
  
  
Adriana looked into his eyes that had always brought her such joy and comfort and found that she couldn't speak. Her eyes filled with tears and she knew that opening her mouth would result in creating a scene she didn't want to be a part of. Speaking into his mind, she asked, "Can we go to your office please? I really have to talk to you."  
  
  
  
Momentarily forgetting his anger towards Adriana, Albus became concerned, stood up from his chair, and moved over to her. Grabbing onto her arm gently, he looked down at her and whispered, "Adriana, what's the matter?"  
  
  
  
Adriana remained silent as the tears began to flow down her face. Albus gently led Adriana up to his office. Severus stopped eating the moment he saw Adriana walk in the room, had seen the encounter, and was now quite concerned. He left the Great Hall and followed closely behind them. From the corner of her eye, Adriana noticed him, and beckoned him over to her. Hugging him tightly, they continued to walk, Severus keeping his arm around her waist.  
  
  
  
The three people stood around Albus' desk in his office. Adriana continued to cry, until finally Albus put his hand on her chin and lifted her face to look into his. "Adriana, tell us what happened, please," He spoke calmly and gently, helping her to calm down.  
  
  
  
Taking a deep breath, and speaking with a voice that wavered. "Where to begin? Well, today is the one month mark, the day I was going to tell Lucius I was pregnant, but yesterday we got into a huge fight, I told him I was Muggle-born, and he left me," She spoke quickly and took another deep breath when she finished.   
  
  
  
Albus looked shocked. "You're pregnant? What were you thinking? How could you let yourself get pregnant?" Albus was angry again.  
  
  
  
Severus stepped in to defend Adriana, "Albus, it's not her fault, these things happen."  
  
  
  
"Not with her they don't!" He replied.  
  
  
  
"What do you mean?" Severus asked.  
  
  
  
"She can't get pregnant unless she wants to," Albus explained.  
  
  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
  
  
"It's a part of her powers, she can't get pregnant unless she decides to allow it," Albus said, glaring at Adriana.   
  
  
  
Severus turned slowly towards Adriana. "You wanted to get pregnant? You wanted to have his child?" He spoke with a look of disgust on his face. Then the rest of what Adriana had said began to catch up to him, "You're Muggle-born?" Almost automatically, he took a step away from her. "Why didn't you ever tell me?" Severus still had much to overcome with his former life and how he used to be, but chose to accept her for who and what she truly was.   
  
  
  
"What did you hope to accomplish by getting yourself pregnant? You did it to make him stay, didn't you? That is so like you! It didn't work with me, what made you think it would work with him? And it obviously didn't, because he still left you!" Albus was still upset.  
  
  
  
"How could you say such a thing to me! How can you be so cruel? I just told you that the man I love, the man who's child I'm going to have, left me! He's going back to Riddle!" Adriana yelled, tearing up again. Severus walked over to her and put his arms around her.  
  
  
  
"Of course he's going back to him! You knew that from the very beginning! You knew this would happen, I don't understand why you're so surprised! I swear Adriana, you might be twice as old as I am, but you're three times more foolish!"Adriana's face flushed. Albus always had a big mouth when it came to their arguments. "Damn it Albus, why can't you just keep your big, stupid mouth shut?"  
  
  
  
Albus scowled at Adriana. "Well it was bound to come out at some point in time, you might as well just get used to it."  
  
  
  
"I swear, you've been ruining my life since the day I met you!" Adriana yelled.  
  
  
  
Severus intervened at this point. "Adriana, dear, try to calm down, you don't want to make yourself sick in your condition." Walking over to Albus, he spoke again, "Albus, maybe you should step out for a while, take a walk, cool off. I'll stay here with Adriana." Taking Albus by the arm, he gently guided him to the door and kicked him out.  
  
  
  
Severus returned to Adriana and held her in silence for a few minutes. Adriana clung to him desperately, hoping he'd somehow forget what Albus had said. But that was not to be. Severus looked at Adriana, "What did Albus mean? What's going on?"  
  
  
  
Taking a deep breath, Adriana began to talk, "I'm not as young as I seem. This is going to take some time, you might want to sit down. I was born..." 


	29. Revelations

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Arsinoe3: Severus is such an understanding sweetie, isn't he? I'm having lots of fun with him in this story, and it's only going to keep getting better. Thank you for such a good review.  
  
Tavingtonrose: I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. Here's another chapter for you to hopefully enjoy!  
  
Oxi-Nu: I'm sorry, but the cliffhanger couldn't be helped. I hope this makes up for it though.  
  
I've put a lot of time, thought, and effort not only into this story, but into Adriana's life as well, and I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it.  
  
Revelations  
  
"I was born in London, in the year 1663, to Attis and Callidora Orendes. My parents were immigrants from Greece. I grew up speaking Greek inside my home, and English outside of it. My father was a merchant, my mother kept house. I had two older brothers, Galen, and Thanos, and two older sisters, Enora, and Leda. Since there weren't that many Catholic Greeks then, we were a very close-knit family. Galen became a merchant like my father. Thanos joined the priesthood, he was the pride of my mother's heart. Enora and Leda had arranged marriages to suitable men when they turned 16, as all proper Greek girls did at that time.   
  
  
  
"Everybody in my family were Muggles. We knew nothing about the wizarding world, and most of my family thought that anything to do with magic was evil. When I turned 11, I received my letter from Hogwarts. At first I was terrified. Nobody else in my family had ever had anything like this happen to them. Plus, it was a difficult time in England to be a witch. Witches and wizards lived in fear for their lives, and the lives of their loved ones. And being the devout Catholic family we were, witchcraft was thought of as an abomination not to be tolerated or acknowledged.   
  
  
  
"My mother was a very cautious and religious woman. She hardly left the house, spoke no English, and lived in constant fear for her and her children's souls. She wanted to send me to a convent, hoping to forget about the letter. She wanted to have Thanos exorcise the demons within my soul, but he didn't want the Church to find out about me, it would damage his career. She prayed and went to Mass daily, praying for my salvation from eternal damnation if I chose to become a witch.   
  
  
  
"My father was less pious. He was always a wheeler and a dealer, a very successful businessman. So he was less upset and helped me to look at the idea in a different way. Instead of seeing magic as a curse from the Devil, I came to see it as a gift from God.   
  
  
  
"It was my father who escorted me to Diagon Alley to purchase my supplies. While I loved him to death, he did make a couple of scenes haggling over the prices of some of my books and robes. I remember a few other children laughing and pointing at him, he spoke good English, but he did have a thick accent.   
  
  
  
"The day I left for Hogwarts, my mother kissed me goodbye and informed me she'd be praying for my soul the entire time. My father took me back to Diagon Alley and watched as I drove away in the carriages Hogwarts sent for us to get to the school. It was a brilliant ride, they soared high in the air! The only bad part about it was we had to leave at night, so nobody would see all the carriages in the air and become alarmed.   
  
  
  
"When we arrived, we took the traditional boat ride across the lake to the castle, though we saw in in the daylight. It was much as it is still, the feast on the first day, the sorting ceremony, nothing has changed. I was sorted into Gryffindor. I remember looking at all the other students in my house and thinking I looked nothing like any of them. I was so nervous that we'd have nothing in common with each other.   
  
  
  
"I learned to change certain things to avoid being teased. I made the mistake of crossing myself before blessing my food the first morning there, and saw from the glares and whisperings, it wouldn't do to show my religious beliefs. So I learned to hide those things from others. I tucked my crucifix under my robes, so nobody would see it, but I always wore it.   
  
  
  
"I also saw how my language differed from the others. My other friends, back home spoke English mixed with Greek, so there were words I'd use that seemed natural to me, but nobody around me at school knew what I was saying. I had to think about everything I said before I opened my mouth.  
  
  
  
"I made a few friends slowly. My roommates grew nicer as the weeks passed and we were able to get to know each other better. There were less girls at the school then, so we all tried to stay close to one another, look out for each other. We also had all of our classes together, boys and girls were segregated for the most part. We ate meals together, but classes were separate. We had separate common rooms as well. Girls weren't trained in Quidditch either, so our evenings and weekends were spent with each other, talking, studying, playing together. So, even though we were in separate houses, the girls from the entire school came together, for support and comfort, for we were all far from our homes, and living in a world not really made for us.  
  
  
  
"Over time, I settled into a familiar pattern of classes, homework, and socializing. I missed my family terribly though. I received letters from my father almost weekly, for he embraced what I was. He even bought the family an owl to help us stay in touch. I never got a letter from my mother though. Not a word did we have between each other for the entire school year. Not even when I came home for Christmas. Each time I looked at her, she crossed herself as though I was going to perform some evil upon her. It made me feel terrible.  
  
  
  
"But soon the holidays were over and I was back at school. I was learning so many new things each day, and I loved it. My best classes were Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions. I was far from perfect, but my professors were kind, patient, and didn't judge me when I made a mistake, and I found I grew well under that sort of tutelage.   
  
  
  
"And then it was over, my first year was over and done with. I returned home for the summer holiday. I had a hard time explaining to my friends where I had gone, for they didn't go to school any more. For the first time, there was a rift between us, for they could tell I wasn't being truthful with them.  
  
  
  
"Things weren't too much better with my mother either. We still didn't speak to each other that much, we tended to communicate through my father. I spent most of the holiday with Galen and my father at their shop. The holiday passed quickly and pleasantly, and then it was back to school.  
  
  
  
"The year passed just like the first, and so on, until my fifth year. OWLS were difficult, as they should be, and I don't even remember how I fared, for all of that went out the window when I returned home for the holiday and had a talk with my father. He'd found a boy for me to marry. He'd been looking for some time for just the right boy in order to make a good connection to the upper class, and had found a pureblood family with a son at Hogwarts. I knew he had to be fairly wealthy, for his family was neither Greek nor Catholic. My father would never allow me to marry somebody like that unless he stood to gain a lot from it. Our parents had made the arrangements, and told us after everything was set. This was not uncommon, most of the sixth and seventh year girls were betrothed in this time period. I'd just gotten so wrapped up in my education, I'd completely forgotten about this aspect of my future.   
  
  
  
"His name was Geoffrey Howarth, we were in the same year, but he was a Ravenclaw, and I'd never met him. Our parents arranged a meeting for us over the holiday. My father and I traveled to his home in the outskirts of London to see him. It was an awkward meeting to say the least, what with our  
  
parents being present and the idea that we were to be married in two years time.  
  
"When the school year began, we tried to find time at meals to get better acquainted with one another. He was a handsome boy, with pale white skin, sandy brown hair, and deep brown eyes. He was shy around me, though very kind. I felt safe with him. By the time we left Hogwarts at the end of our seventh year, we had gotten to know one another pretty well, though we'd never done more than hold hands a couple of times.   
  
  
  
"I'd done very well in school, but had more important things to think about, like running a household, and becoming a wife. We were married in August and moved into a small cottage on Geoffrey's family's property. I can remember that first night together, neither of us knew what we were doing. Girls were not educated about their wifely duties back then except for the fact that we were supposed to just lie there silently, and let our husbands do what they wanted to us. We mostly learned by experience on our wedding night. But it's amazing what bodies seem to know instinctively. All I remember was that it involved blood and a lot of pain, and it didn't make me want to do it ever again. But each time grew less painful, until there was no pain, only pleasure.   
  
  
  
"I became pregnant almost immediately, yet miscarried after a few weeks. A few months later, I became pregnant again, successfully. I gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Eleanor, when I was 18 years old. Geoffrey and I were very happy together, not necessarily in love, but loving towards one another. We were a happy family for a year, until Geoffrey died in a horseback riding accident. I was devastated, what was to become of me and my daughter?   
  
  
  
"Not wanting to live with Geoffrey's family, I moved back to my father's home in London. I was trying to cope with the loss of my husband, and raise a child, when I received another letter from Hogwarts. This letter was asking me to take the position of potions mistress at the school, as the professor had retired the year earlier, and they were needing a new one. I thought the headmaster was only asking me this out of pity for my situation, but I accepted the position anyway.  
  
  
  
"I returned to the school, having left Eleanor in the care of my parents. I was so nervous to be teaching so many students, some of whom were only a couple of years younger than myself. I loved it though; I loved the students, we had so much fun experimenting with different potions. We learned from one another.   
  
  
  
"The years passed, and I continued to teach at Hogwarts, I visited home and my daughter during the Christmas and summer holidays. I always felt guilty that I couldn't spend more time with Eleanor, she was growing up so fast, and I was missing it all. My parents loved having her around, especially my mother. We'd had a strained relationship for such a long time that I think she liked the idea of having another child around to pass on all the Greek and Catholic ideals that were so important to her.  
  
  
  
"Ten years passed, and I was still teaching at Hogwarts. Eleanor was 11, yet received no letter. As disappointed as I was that I would not be able to see her more often, I didn't feel any shame or embarrassment that she was a squib, for magic is not to be given to all people, and perhaps her talents lay elsewhere.  
  
  
  
"I remember one day during my tenth year of teaching, a student had mixed several different potions together to see what would happen. As he brought a vial of the mixture over to my table, he tripped and spilled the potion all over me. He felt terrible, having ruined my clothes, but I assured him there was no harm done, and sent him on his way to his next class. I thought nothing more about that little accident, and completely forgot it for a very long time.  
  
  
  
"The years flew by pleasantly, until Eleanor turned 16. She sent me a letter informing me she was entering a convent. My mother had done a good job of making up for my choice to become a witch. So Eleanor became a nun. She was happy, so I was happy for her. She actually was a very successful nun, and ended up becoming Mother Superior of her convent.   
  
  
  
"Five years later, when I was 39, two very important things happened in my life. I began to realize that I didn't look any older than I did ten years ago. I had no wrinkles, no gray hairs, nothing that made me look aged. I wasn't too alarmed, I enjoyed it actually! But the other incident wasn't as pleasant.   
  
  
  
"Eleanor had always been particularly over-zealous in her Catholicism, and I came to regret that. She decided that to save my soul, she had to inform the Church of my witch status. She told them about Hogwarts, and its location. There was an uproar in the wizarding world, as protective charms had to be set up to hide not only the school and its inhabitants, but the entire wizarding world, from the Church. At the same time, there was an uproar in not only the Muggle world, but the Catholic community as well. I was excommunicated from the Church, it was devastating. And then I was summoned by the Ministry of Magic to answer for my daughter's actions. I never blamed the Church for what happened. I blamed my daughter, and cut myself off from her after that. It was mutually decided that I needed to end my employment at Hogwarts. I was also encouraged to leave the wizarding world entirely, for a while, until the fervour died down.   
  
  
  
"I left for America as soon as I could book passage on a ship sailing there. It took a month to get there, and when I arrived, I realized I'd made a huge mistake. I had no relations here, and this was not exactly a place where witchcraft was accepted any more so than back home. They were fond of burning women at the stake if they suspected them to be a witch. I didn't stay long before returning to England. I moved to a small village along the coast, quite close to where I live now, but further south. I blended into my surroundings, and continued to practice spells and charms in the privacy of my home. Since I was starting my life over again, I took my maiden name back, to distance myself from all the problems of my past.   
  
  
  
"As more years passed, I still hadn't aged anymore than I had since I was 30. I realized something was wrong with me. What had happened? As I wracked my brains for what could possibly be stunting the aging process, a memory emerged from far within the recesses of my mind. The day the boy spilled all those potions on me. That was the only thing I could think of that may have cause this. I didn't know which potions he'd mixed together, and no clue how to reverse the effect. Would I stay like this forever? Would I live until I was old and die looking so young? There was no way of knowing until more time passed.  
  
  
  
"Time passed, I continued to practice spells and potions, until I realized I had lived far too long among the people of my village to not have aged and stay unnoticed. So I moved away, to a new village, new people. I did this every decade or so. It's difficult to not grow too fond of the people you live among, knowing you'll have to leave them one day.   
  
  
  
"So it just kept going like that, living, moving, practicing, and so on and so on, until I thought I'd go mad. Even though I never saw them anymore, I missed my parents, well, my father at least, who had died several years ago. I was completely cut off from my family, or whoever was still alive. Eleanor was still alive, but I hadn't spoken to her since the incident. It was a strange feeling to know that I was older than my daughter, yet she would appear to be older than me. The thought of watching her grow old and eventually die of old age was too much to bear, and so I didn't try to contact her. She died in 1771, she was 90. It's still painful to think about the fact that I never forgave her before she died. Now I was completely alone in the world, there was nobody that I knew in my younger days that was still alive. And I wasn't ready to go back to the Magical world, I didn't think I'd ever be ready for that, so I embraced my Muggle lifestyle with pride.  
  
  
  
"I devoted my life to finding the cure to my affliction. I studied every book I could find, both magical and Muggle, yet none of them gave me any leads. I dabbled in the Dark Arts. I traveled the globe studying different forms of magic like voodoo, and shamanism, looking for a cure, with no luck. Along the way I did sell many of my potions and created quite a fortune for myself.   
  
  
  
"I didn't realize how much power I was gaining until one day when I lost my wand. I needed it to lift a heavy bucket from the floor up to the kitchen table, but I had no idea where my wand was, and I couldn't apparate to Diagon Alley for a new one, because I had no wand. I tore my house apart looking for it, but never did find it. So I decided to experiment. I stood in front of the bucket and concentrated very hard. Speaking aloud, I said in a clear voice, "Wingardium Leviosa". I didn't think anything would happen, and was shocked when the bucket floated up off the ground. It got about halfway to the table before crashing back to the floor and spilling all over the place, but I hadn't used my wand!   
  
  
  
"I continued to practice this, until I could do most spells without my wand. It's really a matter of convenience more than anything, I don't have to worry about where I put my wand. That's all the advantage it really gives you. I started with small things, like you learn in the first year at school, but without the wand. I would concentrate and say the spell and it would happen.   
  
  
  
"As the years went on and I continued to practice, I was able to think the spell in my mind instead of say it out loud. After a while I didn't even have to think the spell itself, only what I wanted to happen, and it would.   
  
  
  
"Another aspect of the accident that stunted my aging, was that I had strong protective shielding. It probably didn't help with all the studying I did on those sorts of defensive spells over the decades either, now that I think about it. I don't even think about it all anymore, it's such a part of who I am. It isn't that important. It's really boring actually.   
  
  
  
"More time passed, I can't even remember the years anymore, 1700 something, 1800 something, it all runs together after a while. Then one day, my life changed yet again, forever. I was in a general store in London, looking at all the barrels of sweets, when a handsome man walked over and stood next to me. He was looking at the sweets too, trying to find something good to eat. He was very handsome, with long red hair, and a red goatee. He picked up a piece of candy and looked at it as though he'd never seen one before. "Fascinating," I remember him saying that.  
  
  
  
"I looked at him, smiled and said, "You know, they call those 'lemon drops' in the States." He looked down at me and smiled back. He ended up buying some, and they became his favourite sweet, and they still are to this day. We started to talk and really hit it off. If you haven't guessed already, it was Albus. There was no dating back then, but we courted for a while, and got to know one another better. It took a long time for us to reveal our magical status to one another. But we laughed so hard when we realized we were the same!   
  
  
  
"We grew from friends to lovers after that. I didn't tell him how advanced at magic I was for some time, but he knew, he knows everything. We stayed together for about 40 years, though we never married. I wanted to get married, but he didn't. I loved him more than any other man I'd ever been with before. There had been other men in my life over the years, the ones in France and India, were the most memorable, but they never amounted to much. Albus was different. I didn't have to hide who or what I really was.   
  
  
  
"We had a child together. I knew by then that I controlled if I got pregnant or not, because there had been other pregnancies when I had wanted them, but I'd miscarried each time. We had a boy, Brian, he was beautiful, but he was stillborn. He never lived to see the world. We were heart-broken, it's what eventually drove us apart. Albus was growing older and I wasn't, he was always wiser than me, and I don't think he could handle being the mature one anymore.   
  
  
  
"So we went our separate ways, I to the Muggle world, he to the wizarding world, but we stayed in touch. We sent letters to each other constantly, keeping up with our lives. Several years passed, and then the Great War came. I experienced it first-hand, and narrated to Albus the details of the war. Nobody thought a war this horrific would ever happen again in the Muggle world, but there I was, living through it. And then it was over. Almost two decades passed before the next World War began, and Albus and I saw each other a few more times. We had an on-again, off-again relationship during that time.  
  
  
  
"The Second World War was difficult as well. I was living in London during the bombings. There were several nights spent in bomb shelters underground with complete strangers. I learned to live on ration tickets and what I could grow in my victory garden. There was a period of about 5 months when all I had to eat were onions. Fried onions, stewed onions, baked onions; onions for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I haven't been able to eat an onion since. I could go into much more detail about those war experiences, but I won't, it's not a thing I like to speak of.  
  
  
  
"The war ended the same year Albus defeated Grindelwald. We both had a lot to celebrate, and did so. You remember the fire dress I wore a couple of years ago at the Masque? I wore that the night we, well, you know. It was after that point that Albus insisted I reenter the wizarding world. I started with small things like going back to Diagon Alley, or Knockturn Alley. After a while I visited him at Hogwarts. It's amazing how after such a long time, not much had really changed. Although there were more female students, they shared classes and common rooms and could play Quidditch, but otherwise, it was the same as when I attended and taught there.   
  
  
  
"This lasted for a couple of decades until the rise of Voldemort. Muggles were being harassed and killed, nobody was safe. Albus was worried about me, and what the Death Eaters would do to me if they found out about my powers. He shipped me off to the States to ride out the trouble until it was over, so I missed all the fun the first time around.  
  
  
  
"When the troubles blew over, Albus told me I could come back, so I did. I found the property I live on now and moved there. I went back and forth between the two worlds off and on for almost two more decades, until one day, at a trinket shop, I met a man who would take my life in a whole new direction.   
  
  
  
"And that's it really, that's all there is to know about me. I've been very bitter for most of my life, but started to come out of it around the time I met Albus, and for that I've been eternally grateful to him.  
  
  
  
"I know I haven't been truthful to you Severus, and I'll understand if you can't forgive me. I've learned the hard way to keep those things to myself, and it's hard to see who I can and can't trust."  
  
  
  
Severus gazed at Adriana. He didn't know how anybody could have lived a life like that and stayed as sane and happy as she seemed. Without speaking, he grabbed Adriana's hand, and drew her over to him. Standing up, he hugged her tightly, kissed the top of her head, and held her while she started to cry onto his shoulder. 


	30. Longing

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Tavingtonrose: I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. I hope you are doing all right. Please feel free to take the time you need to deal with that, don't feel obligated to read this until you're more ready to. I can only imagine what you must be going through right now.  
  
Year 4  
  
Book5  
  
Longing  
  
Adriana had an eventful summer holiday. Albus and Severus wanted to keep her occupied so she didn't focus on Lucius. They had quickly vetoed sending him a letter telling him she was pregnant, knowing it would come to no good. Voldemort had indeed risen once again, and it was known that Lucius had been a part of his entourage in the graveyard. Many people chose not to believe these reports, but Adriana wasn't one of them. Her heart sank when she heard about it.   
  
  
  
Albus had re-formed the Order of the Phoenix and spent most of his free time organizing ways to combat Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Severus was a part of the Order, along with a group of people Adriana had never met before, and didn't want to be a part of. She was bearing the child of one the highest ranking Death Eaters, she had no place among them. She imagined them asking who the father was, and having to decide whether to tell the truth or not.   
  
  
  
Severus was heavily involved in the Order, doing mysterious and important things that even she didn't know about. But he always had time to visit her every few days or so. He always came bearing gifts. He brought potions for her to drink, she had to keep her strength up after all; he brought things he knew she was craving. One afternoon, Severus sat and watched as Adriana ate 3 bowls of the strawberry ice cream that he'd brought, with curry sauce and tinned tuna fish on top of it. Carefully hiding his disgust, he smiled while he watched the look of pleasure growing on her face. Severus wanted nothing more than to keep Adriana smiling. Every time he left, Adriana let Severus rub her protruding belly for good luck on his important Order business.  
  
  
  
On days that Severus couldn't be at her house, Albus tried to stop by. Even in his busy schedule, he made time for her. When they were together, it brought back painful memories of the child they had so lovingly waited for, and had lost. They tried to drive the memories away by discussing the Order, Voldemort, and the future of the wizarding world. Albus had made the mistake of suggesting that Adriana return to the States to ride out this wave of Voldemort's terror, but she wasn't willing to leave again. When Adriana began to scream at Albus, he decided to not try to force her. He supposed she shouldn't be traveling in her condition anyway. Albus wasn't too keen on Adriana joining the Order either. He wanted her to stay at the property, as far away from all of this as possible. While he felt this way because he wanted to protect her, he also realized that with her powers, Voldemort would be very interested in using them if he found out about her. He imagined the kind of bartering and trading Voldemort could use with a desperate Adriana trying to get her beloved Lucius back. She had never been very good at making well-thought-out decisions, and Voldemort could use that against her very easily. He needed her to stay away from him, which was most likely impossible with Lucius back at Voldemort's side.   
  
  
  
Adriana was enjoying the pregnancy, after the first few months of morning sickness and depression over the loss of Lucius, she had come to live for this child. It consumed her, it was all she thought about or cared about anymore. She was four months along now. The morning sickness had subsided, but her appetite hadn't. She found she was eating several times more each day, and much larger portions as well. She was growing larger and having to enchant her clothes to grow with her. Adriana loved to look at her body in the mirror, she was big now, but would be much bigger in five months time. She imagined what the little baby inside of her looked like. Would it look like her? Would it look like Lucius?   
  
  
  
She tried to not think about Lucius. This wasn't like the last time when she'd broken up with him, he hated her and wasn't coming back. Try as she might, though, she found herself in tears over him at least once a day.  
  
  
  
With such troubled pregnancies in the past, she didn't want to take any risks with this one. This baby HAD to live. So Adriana insisted on using both magical and Muggle forms of health care for the baby. She drove regularly to the doctor for pre-natal exams. One day she showed Severus a copy of the sonogram she'd had done the day before. He looked at it, furrowed his brow, and asked, "What the hell is that?"  
  
  
  
"It's a sonogram. It's a picture of the baby, neat, huh?" She replied, grinning.  
  
  
  
"Can it tell you if it's a girl or boy?" Severus asked, a slight sneer on his face. That squiggly picture was her baby? How did Muggles function at all?  
  
  
  
"I'd have to let the doctor look at it and tell me, I wasn't sure if I wanted to know or not," Adriana said. "Do you think I should find out? I guess it would help me in decorating the baby's room and buying clothes."  
  
  
  
"Whatever. Do you want to be surprised?"  
  
  
  
"I just don't know. Once you find out, that's it, it's a done deal. It's set. If I don't know, it gives me more to wonder about, to guess at. I don't know...no, I don't want to know," Adriana decided.  
  
  
  
"Well, there is a spell that would show you the baby even better than that silly picture, you know, if you change your mind," Severus said enticingly.  
  
  
  
"It is not silly! It's a very high tech picture. Anyway, would you find out? If it was you?" Adriana asked.  
  
  
  
"Well, I've never contemplated anything like that before, seeing as it would never be me," Severus said, frowning and folding his arms.  
  
  
  
Adriana punched him playfully on the arm, "You know what I mean!"  
  
  
  
"Well, this spell, it shows you a spectral image of the baby, so you can see what it really looks like," Severus explained.  
  
  
  
"Do you want to see what the baby looks like?" Adriana asked.  
  
  
  
"Of course, but not if you don't," Severus said, playing the martyr.  
  
  
  
"Well, what if you do the spell, and see the baby, and I close my eyes?" Adriana asked.  
  
  
  
"Do you really think you'd be able to keep your eyes closed?"  
  
  
  
"Sure, but could you stay quiet about it? You'd be able to see if it was a boy or girl."  
  
  
  
"I think I can keep a secret pretty well," Severus smiled.  
  
  
  
"Ok, if you can do it, go ahead, I'll close my eyes, and you can look at the baby," Adriana said, closing her eyes tightly.   
  
  
  
She listened as Severus took out his wand, and spoke, "Infantia Demenstro," and became silent. She felt a warmth pour over her stomach for a minute or so as she assumed the image of the baby was being shown to Severus. Finally the warmth dissipated, and Severus told her to open her eyes. She saw a huge grin on his face when she looked at him again.  
  
  
  
"Well, what? Why are you smiling?" Adriana asked.  
  
  
  
"You have a very respectable baby," Severus said.  
  
  
  
"Respectable? That's all you have to say? Is it cute? Does it look like me?" Adriana asked excitedly.  
  
  
  
"It's very cute, and I'm not telling you who it looks like, that's cheating," Severus said piously.  
  
  
  
"Do you think you can stay silent about the baby's gender?" Adriana asked.  
  
  
  
"I'll do my best," Severus promised.  
  
  
  
"All right, so...is it a girl?"  
  
  
  
"I'm not telling."  
  
  
  
"Is it a boy?"  
  
  
  
"I don't remember."  
  
  
  
"Yes you do, you're really not gonna tell me?"  
  
  
  
"No!"  
  
  
  
Adriana sat back on the couch, folding her arms, pouting at Severus. "You're really not going to tell me?" She asked again.  
  
  
  
"No, I will not. I promised you I wouldn't, and I'm not going to break that promise. You'd be angry with me if I told you," Severus said, "But I can tell you, you're not going to be disappointed."  
  
  
  
Adriana hugged her stomach, smiling. "I don't think I could ever be disappointed with this baby."  
  
  
  
At the end of the day, when Severus was leaving, he leaned down to Adriana's stomach, kissed it, and said, "Now you be good to your mommy, ok?"  
  
  
  
The next week, when Severus came to visit again, he brought a gift for the baby. A green and silver teddy bear that had a black ribbon tied around its neck. "And you're just so sure it'll be in Slytherin? What if it's a squib?" Adriana asked, holding the bear.  
  
  
  
Severus looked wisely at Adriana, "I have a good feeling about this baby," he said. Resting his hand against her stomach, he felt the baby kick against his palm. It was the best feeling.  
  
  
  
Severus had a secret fantasy, so secret, he could barely admit it to himself. He could see himself and Adriana, together. He imagined them years from now, together in her bed, holding tightly to one another after making love. While they kissed, the baby started to cry, so he got up to see to it. In a rocking chair, he held her baby in his arms, the baby they were raising together, singing it back to sleep. He was happier than he'd ever been before. Severus quickly pushed that thought out of his mind. It was nothing more than wishful thinking anyway, Adriana would never love him. He chose to be the best help to her that he could instead.  
  
  
  
Since school was starting in a few days, Severus had to return to Hogwarts, yet he hated to leave Adriana. This school year would be intense, and he had to devote himself to the students and their welfare. He promised to spend a couple of Saturday afternoons with her over the year though, and Adriana was looking forward to that.  
  
  
  
A month passed and now it was the first week of October, and Adriana was entering a nesting phase in her pregnancy. She cleared out a room in her house and began planning the baby's room. It took a lot of magic, because she was now too large to bend over and lift much of anything. As she looked through a box, she pulled out an old Elvis record. Adriana had put all of Lucius' things in boxes and threw them in this room after he'd left her. She'd forgotten about them. Her stomach lurched as she thought about Lucius again. By concentrating on the baby, she'd been able to mostly forget about Lucius. But looking through all his things had brought all the memories and pain flooding back.   
  
  
  
Sitting down, Adriana looked through the boxes, with tears in her eyes. The clothes still had his scent in them, the records had his fingerprints on them. Lucius, what was he doing right now? Did he ever think about her? Did he hate her as much as he had that day? Was he happy with Voldemort and the other Death Eaters?   
  
  
  
Adriana sank into a depression after that, no longer sleeping, no longer eating. Severus was extremely upset when he saw her one Saturday afternoon. He immediately took over her kitchen, brewing some potions to help revive her spirits. Cornering her, he stood over her while she drank them, making her finish every last drop. He listened while she poured her heart out to him. It was during this teary exchange, that Severus made an important decision. He had to tell her about his past. He wanted to see her beautiful smile again.  
  
  
  
"Adriana, I need to tell you something about myself," Severus began, pulling the sleeve up on his arm, exposing his tattoo, "I used to be a Death Eater."   
  
  
  
Adriana's eyes grew wide with shock. "What?" She asked, confused.  
  
  
  
"Lucius and I went to school together, his last year was my first year. He was already working for Voldemort, and used that year to recruit students from Hogwarts. I was one of them. We were young, and stupid; I looked up to him. I blamed him for my life for a very long time, I've tended to blame all sorts of other people for my life, it's easier that way. But I can see now, that I chose to do what I did, to become what I've become. I made the choice to leave Voldemort and the Death Eaters, and I haven't returned," Severus grabbed Adriana's hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze.  
  
  
  
"Sev, I don't understand, why are you telling me this?" Adriana asked.  
  
  
  
"I'm trying to make you feel better," He explained.  
  
  
  
"How is telling my that the man I love ruined your life going to make me feel better?"   
  
  
  
"I left Voldemort, I made the decision, for myself. Lucius loves you, he might think he doesn't, but he does. He'll make the choice for himself someday, and he'll come back to you," Severus felt his heart break when he spoke these words.   
  
  
  
Adriana's lips trembled and her hands shook. "Do you really think so?"   
  
  
  
Severus looked at his feet, and silently nodded his head. Adriana burst into tears, sobbing, her body shaking, until Severus took her in his arms and held her for a long time. Severus continued to console her and massage her shoulders, until she was in a much improved mood, which pleased him very much.   
  
  
  
The two talked for several hours, Severus telling her all he knew about the Death Eaters and Voldemort, since Adriana didn't know that much about them. They talked about school and what was new that year. Severus told her about the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Umbridge. Adriana remembered the Oompa Loompaesque woman from the Masque the year before. "Albus hired that woman? She can't possibly be a good teacher, does she actually know anything?" Adriana asked incredulously.  
  
  
  
"Well, he had no choice, the Ministry of Magic hired her for him," Severus explained. He filled her in on all the new things going on at the school this year.   
  
  
  
"Damn governments, never trust any of them," Adriana said darkly, frowning. Leaving the kitchen, they went into the living room to watch a movie. The day continued pleasantly after that, until nightfall.   
  
  
  
Severus was sitting on the bed next to Adriana, putting socks on her feet, since she couldn't put them on for herself easily anymore. Lost in thought, Adriana remembered the happy nights she and Lucius had spent in her bed together. She wondered if they would ever spend any more nights together. Even though the baby kept her company, Adriana was very lonely. The feel of Severus' fingers as he massaged her ankles was very pleasurable to her. Her breathing became more rapid as she leaned in to kiss Severus. He was caught completely off-guard, though he didn't resist it. He slowly moved his hands from her ankles up to her shoulders and held onto her tightly. Adriana leaned back and the two of them gently fell back onto her bed. Severus was overwhelmed at the scent of vanilla filling his head. He wanted to make passionate love to her, hear her cry out his name, but tried to take his time and savour the experience as much as he could. They ran their fingers through one another's hair before unbuttoning their clothes. Severus had seen Adriana naked before, or almost completely naked, but she had been smaller then. He thought she was beautiful, her breasts had grown larger with the pregnancy, as had her waist, and he thought she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever had the privilege of seeing. Exploring her body with an intensity Adriana didn't expect, Severus caressed her soft skin with his mouth and long fingers, causing her to smile and gasp at his touch. He was surprised that she didn't taste of the vanilla that she smelled so strongly of, though there was a sweetness to her skin, that he quite enjoyed. Adriana ran her hands over Severus' body while he kissed her slowly, his tongue entwining with hers. She wrapped her legs around his thighs, waiting for him to make love to her.   
  
  
  
Severus looked down at her, and suddenly realized what was going through her mind. He wasn't the one she wanted to sleep with, she wanted Lucius. He had been a fool to think this was about him. Unwinding Adriana from his body and standing up, Severus began to put his clothes back on. Speaking quietly, he said, "If we made love tonight, whose name would you cry out?" Adriana looked at him with wide eyes, but said nothing. "I'm a poor substitute for Lucius, you'd hate yourself afterwards for doing this with me."  
  
  
  
Coming to her senses, Adriana's eyes filled with tears. "Oh Sev, I'm so sorry. That was a terrible thing to do to you. And you're wrong, you're far too good for me than what I deserve. Don't you dare sell yourself short. You're a very attractive man, and any woman would be lucky to have you. But you were right, I wouldn't have been making love to you, I'd have been making love to a memory, and that's not fair." Severus left soon after that, but Adriana spent a sleepless night, horrified that she had almost used him as she had. After several hours of not being able to sleep, Adriana got up and walked outside the house. Walking up the hill to the bare olive tree, she carefully sat down on the ground. Her breath filled the frosty night air as she looked at the full moon. Leaning her head against the tree trunk, Adriana let her mind wander to thoughts of Lucius. She folded her arms over her stomach and held herself tightly. Words of a song that seemed to be haunting her lately came to her lips and poured forth:  
  
  
  
Last night I watched him sleeping   
  
My body pressed to him...   
  
Yes I know that this was years ago   
  
But when moonlight fills my room   
  
I know   
  
You are here... still   
  
I still   
  
I still believe   
  
You will return   
  
I know you will   
  
My heart   
  
Against all odds   
  
Holds still   
  
Yes, still   
  
I still believe   
  
I know as long as I can keep believing, I'll live   
  
I'll live   
  
Love cannot die   
  
You will return   
  
You will return   
  
And I alone know why...   
  
Adriana sang this song as a lullaby to the small child within her. She hoped the words would prove true and Lucius would come home again. He would love her and their child, he just had to.  
  
References: Song "I Still Believe" from Miss Saigon. 


	31. Starting Over Again

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
TavingtonRose: Well I'm glad that your friend didn't commit suicide, but sorry that you had to go through all of that. Hopefully this will help you take your mind off it for a while, enjoy!  
  
WickedLee: I tend to agree with you that Severus would be a better match for Adriana in some ways, but I don't think they'll end up together, they're just really good friends, at least on Adriana's part! I cannot confirm or deny that there will be a meeting between Voldemort and Adriana, all I can say at this point, is keep reading!  
  
Starting Over Again  
  
Special Author's Note: Some of the events in this chapter parallel the events in the story True Revenge, the first story of this series. My friend ElfFlame wrote it, it tells Narcissa's story, and it's really very good. There is a fourth part to this series, told from Draco's point of view, that ElfFlame is writing and threatening not to post until she gets at least one more review of True Revenge. So, if you have the time, please pop on over to True Revenge by ElfFlame, and give it a review, so that she'll post the fourth part of this series! Thanks a bunch!  
  
Lucius had had a very busy summer. He had returned to his Lord's side when Voldemort had risen again. He stood witness to the things Voldemort had done to The Boy Who Wouldn't Die, while trying to break his will. He spent the months trying to not think about Adriana, not only because he was convinced he hated her, but because he didn't want Voldemort to find out about her. He didn't realize how contradictory that was, and neither did he question his feelings. Voldemort was otherwise occupied and therefore not reading Lucius' mind at the moment.   
  
  
  
He did wonder what Voldemort would do when he found out about Adriana. He wondered who the unlucky bastard Voldemort would send over to her house would be, and how long it would take her to send him back in pieces. The thought made Lucius chuckle; he'd never go up against her, he'd learned that the hard way a long time ago.  
  
  
  
Lucius was trying to reintegrate himself to life at Malfoy Manor. He tried to see as little of Narcissa as he could, but when he did, he poured out all his anger and hurt feelings on her. His beatings were more ruthless than they'd ever been before. Fortunately for Narcissa, the Gelidus spell Adriana had taught her worked from long distances, so each evening she was able to perform the spell from her bedroom with no worries of being caught. It worked well too, Lucius never "visited" her after he returned to the Manor.   
  
  
  
Draco had been home for the holiday, and Lucius had tried to avoid him as much as possible too. Not because he didn't want to see Draco, but because he wanted his son to stay out of the Death Eaters' way. He could see that Draco was upset over not being allowed to join him in his Death Eater business, but Lucius was not going to let him join this war. He was very excited when Draco was named a prefect by the school. It gave Draco something else to concentrate on. Lucius congratulated him, even going so far as to pat his son on the back. Draco was shocked at the attention he received, but loved it.   
  
  
  
A few days later, Draco was amazed again as Lucius showered him with gifts. He got a solid gold and silver wizard's chess set. Lucius promised that he would play with him later on, but he never did. He loved the brand new pair of dragon-skin shoes that looked just like his father's. But the best gift Lucius gave him though, was a set of 4 miniature soldiers that shot tiny bullets at one another. They were from the trinket shop the day Lucius had met Adriana. He'd half forgotten about that, and kicked himself when he remembered it. He was letting himself think about her again, he had to stop that. Lucius could see that Draco didn't remember them from that day, and was glad of that. He liked them very much. He returned to school in very high spirits at the end of the holiday.   
  
  
  
Lucius found he was too busy to think about Adriana too much, and grew to feel more comfortable around Voldemort, knowing he could block her memories from his Lord if he needed to. The thought of him finding out he'd fallen in love with a Mudblood was too humiliating for him to bear. Hopefully in a short amount of time, he'd forget about Adriana permanently, because he wanted nothing to do with her anymore.  
  
  
  
Lucius was under orders to recover a certain prophecy hidden deep within the Ministry of Magic, that Voldemort needed. He and several other Death Eaters were going to break into the Ministry, and barring any major problems, they would be successful in returning the prophecy to Voldemort. Since he was the one put in charge of it, he had taken his time to plan out all the details and possibilities. He wanted everything to run smoothly and work perfectly.   
  
  
  
There was so much to think about. Lucius had gone to the Ministry over the holiday and put Sturgis Podmore under the Imperious Curse, hoping to use him to get the prophecy. Fudge had told him how to get into the building after closing time. Sometimes it really paid off to have people in your pockets. He'd been very lucky in finding Podmore. As he walked towards the door containing the prophecy, he found himself sailing through the air, and landing on his stomach. When he stood up and looked to see what he'd tripped on, he saw nothing. Reaching his foot out to see what was there, a small smile spread across his face as he hit something solid. Drawing his foot back and kicking the object hard, his smile grew as he heard a grunt of pain. Taking his wand out, he pointed it at the person, telling him to take off his Invisibility Cloak or he'd regret it. Sturgis Podmore suddenly appeared on the ground, at Lucius' feet. After a few seconds, it was all over and Podmore was under Lucius' control. But the idiot had been arrested by the Ministry just after Draco returned to school, after some trouble with the security of the Ministry. Since the Ministry had their image to maintain and the public had to be kept placated, he'd had to allow Fudge to arrest him. That had set Lucius' plans back somewhat.   
  
  
  
When he had accompanied his son to the King's Cross Station, an opportunity to return to the Ministry presented itself to him. It came to him in the form of a stray dog. The dog was seen running along the walkway, following the train as it rode out of sight. Lucius knew Sirius Black was an Animagus, whose animal form was a dog. He knew Black was connected to Harry and living on the lam as well. He'd most likely traveled to see Potter off. Sirius had been a fugitive for the past couple of years now and the Ministry was still looking for him. Lucius knew if he turned him in, he'd get all the credit for returning a "dangerous" criminal to justice. More importantly, he'd be able to get inside the Ministry and look another brainless person to use the Imperious Curse on to retrieve the prophecy. He'd gone there earlier in the holiday, and had no luck finding anybody to use, though other opportunities had presented themselves that he'd taken advantage of, but he still needed to find somebody.  
  
  
  
When he returned to the door containing the prophecy, Lucius opened it, expecting to see the glass ball he was looking for. Unfortunately, what he saw thoroughly angered Lucius. There were so many more doors to get through to find the right room containing the prophecy! Which of those damn doors was the right one? Not wanting to take the time to try them all, Lucius decided to get somebody else to do it for him. Broderick Bode, who worked for the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry, was passing by, when Lucius started a conversation with him. By the time the conversation had ended, Bode was under Lucius' Imperious Curse, with no one the wiser. With the problem of finding the prophecy solved, Lucius left the Ministry in a very good mood.  
  
  
  
As time passed, and the prophecy was more under control, Lucius found himself thinking about Adriana more. One night he dreamt that he was making love to her. He loved making her cry out, making her beg for more, or not to stop. It was the only way he'd ever been able to control her. When he awoke, he found he'd done more than just dream about her the night before. Grumbling as he stripped the sheets from his bed, he grew angry at Adriana for making him do this. He hadn't had anything like that happen since he was a student at Hogwarts. He tried to empty his mind of her image as he took a cold bath.  
  
  
  
He didn't want to, but he found she invaded his dreams almost every night, where he had no choice but to see her again. After a few nights, his dreams turned pleasant, he was happy, they were together, laughing, kissing, making love. He knew they were supposed to be together. In his dreams, he didn't care that she was Muggle-born. In his dreams, his prejudices didn't exist. It was when he woke up that things went back to the way they were now.   
  
  
  
About a week or so into October, during a full moon, Lucius slept fitfully. In a state where Lucius wasn't sure if he was sleeping or awake, a young girl, about 2 or 3 years old, that he'd never seen before, stood before him. She had pale silver-blonde hair and gray eyes. She spoke to him, "Where are you?"  
  
  
  
"I am here, child," He replied, kneeling down and stretching his arms out to her.  
  
  
  
"Don't leave me!" She cried, trying to reach him, but faded out of his sight before she could.   
  
  
  
Just before Lucius woke with a start, he heard Adriana singing, "You will return, And I alone know why..." It was the very end of a dream he never wanted to forget. He stayed up the rest of the night, trying to memorize the dream.   
  
  
  
This child, who was she? Perhaps this was a daughter for the Lucius and Adriana of his dreams to have. She looked just like him. They shared the same eyes and hair. She had that Malfoy look, her eyes pierced down to his very soul. The expression on her face showed displeasure that he couldn't reach her when she'd wanted him to. She had to be his. It had been a very long time since Lucius had entertained the idea of having another child. Narcissa had failed to produce any more sons when he had wanted them, so he'd put the thought out of his mind. But now that this girl had come to him, she seemed to be all he could think of.  
  
  
  
It was with sadness that he threw himself into his Death Eater duties, in order to forget about this daughter who would never be.  
  
References: Song lyrics from "I Still Believe" from Miss Saigon. 


	32. Getting Ready For Baby

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
TavingtonRose: I agree the last chapter was pretty emotional, and it's not really going to diminish as the year progresses. I'm glad this story is helping you through your tough time. Enjoy the chapter!  
  
Wicked Lee: I'm so happy that you're so excited about the baby! Yes I do have a name already picked out and I hope you like it. Enjoy the chapter!  
  
LisaViola: I'm glad to hear from you, thanks for reading my story. I agree with you, Lucius can be very difficult to sympathize with, he definitely has his issues. Although if you keep reading, I think you may begin to feel just the tiniest bit sorry for him, but I'm not going to say anything more than that! You'll have to keep reading to see what happens! Enjoy the chaper!  
  
Getting Ready For Baby  
  
Adriana had cleared out the spare room finally and was designing the layout for the baby. She wanted the crib to be the focal point of the room. She was having difficulty choosing a colour without knowing the baby's gender. In the end, she chose a nice maroon for the carpet, and a lovely goldenrod paint for the walls and ceiling. Adriana realized she was showing a blatant bias for which Hogwarts house she preferred, but she did plan to put Sly the Rinbear, the teddy bear from Snape, in the crib for the baby.  
  
  
  
Adriana enjoyed driving to the hardware store to buy the paint- special paint that was safe for her to use while pregnant; she had fun driving to each store to buy the supplies she needed. She arranged to have everything delivered to her house. She purchased a crib, bassinette, pram, rocking chair, changing table, and everything else she could think of for a baby.   
  
  
  
As so much time had passed since she'd had Eleanor, she was sure she had forgotten many things about being a parent. Many things had changed since her first parenting experience. She'd read books and magazines, watched programs on the telly, researched on-line, studied all she could in order to be the best mother she could be. There hadn't been products like disposable diapers or dry baby formula for her to buy when she'd had Eleanor. She'd never used them before. She'd read the statistics on such issues and planned to breast feed, but wanted to know all she could about everything.   
  
  
  
Adriana had decided to assign the baby a pronoun, since she hated referring to it as "it". So even though there was no proof either way, she chose to call the baby "he". She wanted it to be a boy, a boy with pale silver blonde hair and gray eyes. She liked to think about what he'd look like, and what he'd be like. One lazy afternoon, as Adriana lay on the couch thinking about this, she felt her stomach begin to jump. It wasn't the same feeling as when the baby kicked, it was a rhythmic jolting feeling. She saw her belly move with each jump. She smiled as she realized the baby had the hiccups. It was the cutest thing she'd ever seen before.   
  
  
  
There was so much to think about: vaccinations, what school the baby should attend when he was old enough, what the baby would be when he grew up. Adriana hoped she would be a better mother this time around than she'd been to Eleanor. She'd always felt guilty for not being there for Eleanor's life, for leaving her daughter in the care of her parents for most of Eleanor's youth. She wanted to be there for this baby, see him grow up, take care of him. Her child might not ever know his father, but she would be there, giving him all the love the baby needed.   
  
  
  
Adriana had driven to London to shop for baby clothes. She stood in the baby department of Herod's department store, gazing at all the clothes to choose from. She'd never seen anything more adorable than the little white baby shoes she held in her hand. She found cute little shirts, cute little pants, and cute little socks. The colours were non-gender specific, and sure to look good on any baby. She bought all sorts of clothes, but none of the hats were quite to her liking. She needed the cutest hat ever, and these just didn't cut it.   
  
  
  
Making a bold decision, Adriana popped over to Diagon Alley. Madam Kapelo's Millinery Shoppe was just the place for the perfect hat. She hoped she wouldn't see anybody she knew there, because she could no longer hide the pregnancy, a fact she couldn't deny as she waddled out of the store.   
  
  
  
In order to be less noticeable in case there was somebody in Diagon Alley that she did know, she'd made sure to buy a scarf to wear on her head, to cover herself. Since it was almost December, it would make sense for her to cover up anyway, even though she didn't feel the cold.   
  
  
  
Well-covered, Adriana walked through the Leaky Cauldron, looking wistfully at all the bottles of alcohol that she hadn't tasted for months now, and wouldn't again for a very long time. Sighing and patting her stomach, she walked out the other door to the wall blocking off Diagon Alley from the outer world.   
  
  
  
As Adriana walked carefully through Diagon Alley, looking out for anybody she recognized, she made her way to the Milliner's Shoppe. It was off the beaten path, in a very small building. Madam Kapelo made the best hats in the world, as far as Adriana was concerned. She just had a way of looking at the person and knowing exactly what kind of hat would look best on them. Her shop had a cozy, homey feeling about it that drew the customers in. Soft blue plush velvet chairs were set around the store, each with a table next to it. Cups of tea and plates of biscuits could be found on all of the tables. As Adriana sat at one of the tables, downing the plate of biscuits, she looked around the room. The store had pale lavender walls and multi-coloured throw rugs littered the hard wood floor.  
  
  
  
Madam Kapelo walked over to Adriana and sat down across from her. "And how may I help you today, dear?" She asked in a sweet voice. She looked like everybody's grandmother, with soft white hair swept up into an elegant bun, and blue robes covering her small, frail body.   
  
  
  
"I want to buy a hat for my baby, but I don't know if it's a boy or a girl, I want to be surprised, can you help me?" Adriana asked.  
  
  
  
"Of course I can, dear. May I?" Madam Kapelo gestured towards Adriana's bulging stomach.  
  
  
  
"Sure," She answered, somewhat unsure as to what Madam Kapelo would do to her.   
  
  
  
Placing her hands on Adriana's stomach, she concentrated on what she "saw". "Ah, yes, I see, I know the perfect hat for your little one," She said. "Now you wait here while go and I make it for you."  
  
  
  
Adriana moved to another table with more biscuits and continued eating while Madam Kapelo made the hat. Twenty minutes later, she emerged from the back work area with a small package. Placing it into Adriana's hands, she said, "Now you take this home with you, and open it when you have the baby. I'm sure you'll be very pleased."  
  
  
  
Adriana smiled and thanked Madam Kapelo profusely. After paying her, Adriana turned to leave, stuffing a few more biscuits into her mouth as she walked out of the store. Munching happily and holding onto her baby's hat, she walked down Diagon Alley, looking into the store windows.   
  
  
  
As she put the last biscuit in her mouth, she almost choked on it as she saw somebody, one of the last people in the wizarding world she wanted to see at the moment: Narcissa. Swearing quietly, she tried to keep from being noticed. Pulling the scarf further down over her head, she went into the nearest store, a sweet shop. Walking around the store for a couple of minutes, she looked at all the delicious-looking sweets. Glancing out the window, Adriana didn't see Narcissa or her entourage of house-elves any longer. Taking a deep breath and realizing how close she'd come to being seen, she turned to walk back out of the store and came face to face with Narcissa.   
  
Hoping the scarf was hiding her enough, she cringed as Narcissa looked at Adriana in complete shock. "Adriana?" She asked. "You're expecting?" Narcissa gaped at Adriana's swollen body. This must be why Lucius returned to the manor. He got Adriana pregnant and then didn't want to deal with it, so he left her.   
  
  
  
"Uh, hello Narcissa," Adriana began slowly, "Yes, I'm pregnant. And I would really appreciate it if you kept this to yourself."   
  
  
  
Gasping in surprise, Narcissa exclaimed, "You mean Lucius doesn't know? Then why did he come back?"  
  
  
  
"Well, that's a whole different story. I don't really want to get into that. We fought, he left, that's the basic idea," Adriana said, looking down towards her feet, but seeing only her stomach instead.  
  
  
  
"I won't say a word. I've tried to avoid Lucius since he came back, he's been worse than ever..." Narcissa trailed off.  
  
  
  
Looking alarmed, and feeling guilty for being the cause of this, Adriana whispered, "Hasn't the blocking spell I taught you worked?"  
  
  
  
"I can't do it without the wand, and he'd see me," Narcissa whispered back.  
  
  
  
"I should have thought of that, I can't believe I didn't think about that," Adriana felt like kicking herself. "I'm so sorry he's doing this to you, he can be such a bastard some times," Adriana said apologetically.  
  
  
  
"I'm used to it," Narcissa said, carefully hiding the pain.   
  
  
  
There were a few minutes of awkward silence as they looked around the store. "So...are you out Christmas shopping?" Adriana asked.  
  
  
  
"Yes, I was looking for something for Draco, but nothing strikes me as anything he'd like," Narcissa responded.  
  
  
  
"Well, he's getting to that age where it's difficult to shop for him. You might do well to get him a gift certificate or cash with a card," Adriana said, gazing at the rows of sweets.   
  
  
  
"What's a gift certificate?" Narcissa asked.  
  
  
  
"Oh, nothing, it's a Muggle thing," Adriana said, walking up to the barrels and lifting the lid to reveal mint grasshopper candies that began to hop out of the barrel and scatter all over the floor. Quickly replacing the lid, Adriana looked with wide eyes at Narcissa. "Wasn't expecting that!" She laughed.  
  
  
  
Narcissa and Adriana explored the store's aisles for a while, opening barrels and looking on all the shelves. Adriana found a display of white chocolate frogs for the upcoming holiday season and bought a few. Narcissa bought a bag of cinnamon bears that bit the heads off of one another unless you did it first. Laughing and walking out of the store with a few purchases apiece, they continued to talk about their lives, enjoying one another's company.   
  
  
  
As Adriana was leaving, Narcissa took a small item out of the folds of her robe, and placed it in Adriana's hand. Looking at it, she saw a small piece of crystal containing what looked like a lock of short silver blonde hair. Looking at Narcissa quizzically, Narcissa explained, "It's Draco's hair. I've kept it with me always, but I think you should have it. So your child will have something from his brother." She smiled sadly at Adriana, turned away, and left without saying anything more. Adriana closed her hand around the small treasure and held onto it as she walked through the Leaky Cauldron to re-enter London.   
  
  
  
When she returned to her house, Adriana walked into the baby's room. Creating a mental image of how the room would be set up over the next few weeks, she tried to think of a good place to put Narcissa's gift. It needed to be put in a place of honour, where it would be seen. Perhaps a book shelf or the window sill, but neither of those places seemed special enough. She'd have to continue thinking about it. She still had a few months to decide after all. 


	33. Punishment

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Wicked Lee: I'm glad you're looking forward to seeing the baby being born, which is coming up right after this chapter! This chapter is a bit difficult to read, it was tough to write, so let me know what you think, ok? Thanks!  
  
TavingtonRose: I can assure you that Lucius and Adriana will get back together, but not for a while yet, so please bear with me! Like I said to Wicked, this is a hard chapter to read and write, so let me know what you think! Thanks!  
  
Punishment  
  
Note: This chapter contains some elements of blood and torture that have not really been a part of this story up to this point. Be warned that it is a very dark chapter.   
  
Special Author's Note: Some of the events in this chapter parallel the events in the story True Revenge, the first story of this series. My friend ElfFlame wrote it, it tells Narcissa's story, and it's really very good. There is a fourth part to this series, told from Draco's point of view, that ElfFlame is writing and threatening not to post until she gets at least one more review of True Revenge. So, if you have the time, please pop on over to True Revenge by ElfFlame, and give it a review, so that she'll post the fourth part of this series! Thanks a bunch!  
  
  
  
Time passed with a speed Lucius enjoyed. The next couple of months flew by, the time being filled with Death Eater meetings and plotting. An Azkaban breakout was planned, and soon the Death Eater ranks would be swelled with some of the Dark Lord's most powerful followers. Since the dementors were there, it wouldn't be too much of a problem to stage it all.  
  
  
  
But plans on the breakout disappeared from Lucius' mind, when one evening, as Lucius and Narcissa were eating dinner, a house-elf Lucius had never seen before called at the manor. It was one of the Black family house-elves who'd come to bring an important piece of information to Narcissa. He questioned the house-elf, Kreacher, to find out what he knew. Kreacher told him that Harry Potter was indeed connected to Sirius Black, he was his godson. And as his godson, he was very close to Sirius, so close in fact, that he'd try to save his godfather if there was ever a time that he was in danger.   
  
  
  
Draco had returned for the Christmas holidays, and Lucius had made sure he kept all of his business away from his son. He had a difficult time, for many things were happening at once. The break out was taking place shortly and that would create quite a stir in the Magical world. He knew his son resented not being allowed to be a part of all this, but he didn't care. It was for Draco's own good that he kept this out of his sight. He hoped he could keep it up, for the Dark Lord had been asking after Draco lately, wondering when he'd join his side.   
  
  
  
This caused Lucius' mood to soar. He'd been extremely upset ever since Broderick Bode had attempted to take the prophecy and had lost his mind when he'd touched it. Bode was now sitting in a room at St. Mungo's, completely insane. Potter was named in the prophecy, so in theory, he'd be able to retrieve it and not lose his mind. An idea began to form in his mind, and Lucius left the house quickly in order to work out his plan.  
  
  
  
By the time Draco returned to Hogwarts after the holiday ended, the plan was all worked out to lure Harry to the Ministry in order to retrieve the prophecy. The New Year's Masque took place, as it had every year before that, as though nothing important was happening. Lucius had told Fudge several times how important it was for him to make it seem like all was status quo, it made it easier for the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters to do their work with less opposition. This way, most of the Dark Lord's rise to power and take over would be over and done with before any of the greater public knew what was happening and could protest.  
  
  
  
Lucius and Narcissa had attended the Masque together. Narcissa had worn a dress Lucius had never seen before. It was a huge hoop dress, with a span of about five feet in all directions, made of dark blue silk. He had no idea what possessed her to wear such an outfit. He kept an eye out for Adriana the entire night, partly hoping she'd be there, partly hoping she wouldn't, and found himself very disappointed that she wasn't there. He hadn't seen her for seven months now, the longest he'd gone without seeing her since he'd met her. He was still trying his hardest to not care about Adriana, but as his thoughts and dreams always returned to her, he was beginning to see that this was not possible.  
  
  
  
His thoughts of Adriana were quickly shoved out of his mind during the break out of Azkaban. His colleagues were being freed and Lucius was very excited, for it meant that more could be done to facilitate the Dark Lord's take over. The escaped prisoners would have to be housed by the other Death Eaters, and Lucius had been assigned to take care of Bellatrix Lestrange, his sister-in-law. It had been a long time since he'd seen her last. She'd been quite beautiful when he'd known her. They'd gone to school together and she'd been the first girl he'd ever slept with. He was looking forward to seeing her again, and reminiscing over their earlier Death Eater days. He thought he could rekindle a little of what they'd had in their school days.   
  
  
  
The escaped Death Eaters were with the Dark Lord, so Lucius went to him to get Bella. He'd been so disappointed when he saw her after such a long time. She looked old, and dirty. He was not about to start anything with her. She looked nothing like he remembered her, she'd always looked so much like...but he wouldn't let himself finish that thought. He brought her back to the Manor late one night. He thought the best way to tell Narcissa about this, to get her horrified reaction, would be to spring it on her out of the blue. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she saw Bella. She'd never exactly been close to her sister, and now that she was coming to stay, Narcissa would be in misery! He smiled to himself as he walked Bella to Narcissa's bedroom.   
  
  
  
He hadn't been in this room for a few years, he hadn't tried to "visit" her since that one day when he'd met Adriana at Hogwarts. The memory of that night brought a feeling of warmth flooding over his entire body. He'd used Narcissa because she was there, but he'd really wanted to hurt Adriana. He felt his blood beginning to rush from his head to his midsection at the thought. This brought on a sudden sense of shame that he hadn't been expecting, and he covered it up by speaking roughly to Narcissa. He told her he'd brought somebody home with him to stay for a while and that she needed to be a gracious hostess. Opening the bedroom door, he revealed Bellatrix to her sister.   
  
  
  
Narcissa was less than thrilled to see her sister in her house. Bella was insane, she didn't want her here. But she'd been ordered to be nice to her, and she would do her best. Bella looked worse for wear after such a long stint in Azkaban. She'd always been quite a beautiful woman, but now looked haggard and older than she really was. Her long black hair, normally so voluptuous and smooth, was stringy and greasy. She was thin and pale, a shadow of her former self. Lucius left the two sisters to catch up with their lives and went to his own bedroom, carefully putting a locking charm on his door to keep any unwanted visitors out.   
  
  
  
The next morning, he, Narcissa, and Bella ate breakfast together in stony silence. Afterwards, he and Bella went to his den to discuss Death Eater plans. He had to fill her in on the plan to retrieve the prophecy, since the Dark Lord wanted her to help. He saw the gleam in her eye as he told her the plan that would include her cousin, Sirius. When he was finished, he sent Bella back to Narcissa to spend the afternoon with. He had more important things to do with his time than baby sit his sister-in-law.   
  
  
  
Lucius could hear Bella screaming at Narcissa and the house-elves from two floors away. It didn't take long for him to grow thoroughly sick of her. Lucius never knew where he stood with Bella. At one moment she could be almost nice, and the next she'd be trying to tear your throat out. It always made him feel off-balance, a feeling that Lucius hated.   
  
  
  
After one particularly bad screaming match with Bella a few weeks into her stay, Lucius had retreated to his quiet den. He just needed to get away from her for a while. Picking up a book and lying down on his sofa, he tried to read, but found himself drifting off to sleep.   
  
  
  
As usual, he dreamed of Adriana. She smiled at him as she massaged his shoulders. He leaned his head back against her breasts and closed his eyes blissfully. Adriana took him by the shoulders and gently leaned him back against the ground under the olive tree, where they sat. Moving in front of him, she seductively took her clothes off, while he watched and smiled at her. She leaned over him and took his clothes off as well. Adriana ran her hands all over Lucius' body, he felt his blood rushing down below his waist. He sighed happily as she closed her hand over him and began stroking him. After a couple of minutes, Adriana leaned down further and brought her mouth to him. Lucius breathed rapidly and his heart pounded as she ran her tongue across his Prince Albert. After a while, Adriana began to get rough with him, biting him, raking her fingernails across his skin, drawing blood. Lucius didn't like this. She was never this rough with him. Why was she doing this? "Ah, Adriana, you're hurting me," He said to her.  
  
  
  
"Who's Adriana?" A rough, husky voice asked him as the pain increased. It felt like she had him in a vice and was squeezing until he was about to pass out.  
  
  
  
Lucius froze, what the hell was going on? Gasping, he slowly opened his eyes to see a black-haired woman, sitting on top of him, glaring. Unfortunately, it was not the black-haired woman he wanted to see. "Bella! Get off me!" Lucius cried out, pushing the woman off of him so roughly she fell onto the floor.  
  
  
  
"Who's Adriana?" Bella growled, standing up and brushing herself off, lunging at Lucius. Lucius fended her off by throwing his arms out and pushing her away once again.   
  
  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you, you psychotic bitch?!" He yelled at her. Lucius quickly stood up from the couch and began to put his clothes back on.  
  
  
  
"So, you've been cheating on my sister, have you?" Bella screamed at Lucius. Suddenly her voice grew calm and seductive, "Is she a sweet young thing? What does she look like? Is it another blonde? Or a red-head this time, or maybe a brunette?" Bella smiled, stroked her dark hair, and took a step towards him. "Is she prettier than me?"  
  
  
  
I've seen dementors that are prettier than you, Lucius thought to himself, though wisely staying silent. "She's nobody, just forget about her," Lucius snarled at Bella. He tried to close his mind off from her, but she was a very powerful Legilimens. He wasn't fast enough for her to find out what Adriana looked like and a few of the things she was capable of doing.   
  
  
  
Bella raised her eyebrows at Lucius. "My, my, she does bear a striking resemblance to a certain somebody I know. Now who could it be...oh that's right, me! I always knew you still had feelings for me. Although, I never knew you had it in you to fall for a Mudblood...she's so beneath you!" Bella purred, reaching out to grab Lucius' hand and pulling him towards her.  
  
  
  
Lucius tried to remain calm while he felt the gorge rising in his throat. "I can assure you Bella, whatever we had in the past, is still there, in the past," Lucius spoke quietly, narrowing his eyes at her and pulling himself out of her grasp.  
  
  
  
Bella looked at him for a few seconds with wide eyes, then cackled, and flew out the door. Running down the stairs to the front door, Bella made her way out of the Manor. Lucius ran after her, hoping to stop her and put a memory charm on her, but she'd made her way to the edge of the property and apparated out of his sight before he was able to.   
  
  
  
Lucius apparated to his master after Bella, but was too late. By the time he reached her, she'd informed the Dark Lord everything she'd found out about Adriana. The Dark Lord looked carefully at Lucius before speaking. "So, you've been holding out on me, have you? What's so special about this girl that you didn't want me to know about her?" Before Lucius could respond, he felt pain course through his entire body. Bending over and crying out in agony, Lucius tried to keep his mind shut. He had to protect Adriana.   
  
  
  
"It's nothing," Lucius gasped. The pain increased, and he was afraid he might lose consciousness. If he did so, it would be all over, there'd be nothing he could do to keep his master out of his mind.  
  
  
  
Suddenly the pain stopped and Lucius was able to catch his breath again. "Now, let's start this from the beginning," The Dark Lord said, taking his wand and tracing Lucius' cheek with it. Moving the tip of the wand to underneath Lucius' chin, the Dark Lord kept his eyes on Lucius'. "Who is this girl?"  
  
  
  
"Adriana...Orendes, my Lord" Lucius said, resignedly. There was no other way than to tell his master the truth from here on out.  
  
  
  
"And she has some rather unusual powers, doesn't she?" The Dark Lord asked, continuing to stare at Lucius.  
  
  
  
"Nothing too extraordinary, I'd say. She doesn't use a wand, that's about it," Lucius said slowly.  
  
  
  
"Then why did you never say anything about her? Maybe she would have done will under my tutelage. I could use powerful people like her on my side," The Dark Lord asked, almost kindly.  
  
  
  
"It was not until right before the end of our relationship that she revealed to me she was a Mudblood. I was horrified and left her immediately. That's why I never told you about her, I didn't want to suffer such humiliation over having had feelings for such a person. Besides, she didn't seem too interested when I suggested joining with you, which I did several times," Lucius answered him. Lucius felt he had no choice but to reveal such an embarrassing detail to hopefully deflect the Dark Lord from Adriana.   
  
  
  
"Ah, I see, a Mudblood. Of course you didn't want such a thing to be found out. What would your colleagues have thought? I understand completely," The Dark Lord said sympathetically. "And she wasn't interested in working for me? Perhaps if I speak directly with this Adriana girl, she'd have a change of heart. Do you think she'd be responsive to me?" he asked Lucius, his eyebrows raised.  
  
  
  
"Well, you could always try," Lucius said. "Although, she is quite stubborn, and it would take quite a bit of persuasion on your part to make any headway. But if anybody could bring her to your side, my Lord, it would be you."  
  
  
  
"Yes, I suppose I might be able to persuade her. She is a pretty little thing too, I wouldn't mind having her on my side," The Dark Lord enjoyed torturing his subjects in any way he could. "But the Mudblood issue, how to deal with that? Perhaps there is a way to purify her blood. That might work. Heat is good at killing unwanted poisons in the body...maybe that would work for her. Or maybe if she had the blood of somebody pure in her, that might be a way of clearing out all that dirty blood running through her veins. How many purebloods do you think it would take?"  
  
  
  
What sort of sick ritual did the Dark Lord have in mind? Lucius wondered to himself, while never taking his eyes off his Lord. "You would have to find her first, my Lord. Adriana isn't easy to find if she doesn't want to be found. She can be very...elusive," Lucius said carefully.  
  
  
  
"Well then, why don't you find her and bring her to me yourself?" Voldemort suggested.  
  
  
  
I really should have seen that one coming, Lucius thought, kicking himself mentally. After taking a deep breath, he answered, "As you wish, my Lord."  
  
  
  
The Dark Lord smiled at him, "Good, and Lucius, don't ever keep secrets from me again, understand?" With a wave of his wand and "Crucio," Lucius was subjected to the terrible pain again. It was so intense that he collapsed to the ground, bent over in agony. After several minutes, Lucius cried out, "Yes my Lord!" The pain continued as much as it had before.  
  
  
  
Still smiling, the Dark Lord looked down at the pathetic body on the floor, "Beg me," he said simply.  
  
  
  
Groaning in pain, Lucius tried to speak again, but found it difficult to find the words. "P-Please, m-my Lord, m-mercy," Lucius broke off, moaning loudly, "I b-beg you..." His voice trailed away as he bent over further, feeling he would surely die soon if the pain did not stop.  
  
  
  
Suddenly the pain vanished, but Lucius remained huddled on the floor. The Dark Lord turned to leave the room, and spoke a few parting words, "You will bring me the girl, or this will only be a taste of what you will feel." Lucius watched as he left the room. He felt something warm trickling down his chin, from his mouth. Reaching a hand up to wipe it away, he saw blood covering his fingers. It was a long time before Lucius could stand up and make his way back home. 


	34. And Baby Makes Two

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
TavingtonRose: The Lucius chapters are going to be very dark from here on out, so be warned. But here's a nice little break from that. I loved writing this chapter, and I hope you enjoy reading it!  
  
And Baby Makes Two  
  
Albus and Adriana had been writing to one another over the remaining two months of her pregnancy, planning what to do for the birth. Albus wanted her to have the baby at home. He and Severus could be there, and he'd bring Madam Pomfrey to assist in the birth. Adriana didn't want this, and she fought with Albus for several weeks before he gave in. He caved when he received a howler from Adriana that he thankfully got while in his office, not in front of the entire school. "ALBUS, I WILL BE HAVING THIS BABY IN A HOSPITAL!! THAT'S THE WAY IT'S DONE IN ALL THE MOVIES AND ON THE TELLY AND I WILL BE DOING IT THAT WAY TOO!! IF YOU DO NOT APPROVE OF THIS, THEN YOU CAN STUFF IT!!" Albus sighed and gave up after that.  
  
  
  
Adriana had packed a small suitcase with all the things she thought she'd need for her stay in the hospital. She packed a toothbrush, toothpaste, a hairbrush, a couple of books, nightgown, and a change of clothes for both her and the baby. She put diapers, and Madam Kapelo's hat, still in its box, in the suitcase. She put the baby's car seat and Sly the Rinbear by the door to take as well.   
  
  
  
For her other births, Adriana had used magic, and she wanted to see what natural childbirth was like this time around. She'd done research on all the different types of pain relieving drugs, but wanted to try it without any drugs. She'd read about all the different breathing techniques that she planned on using to help her through the delivery.   
  
  
  
Christmas had come and gone without incident. The baby received his first Christmas presents. Severus had sent the baby a green and silver Christmas stocking, with room for a name on it after the baby was born. It was filled with toys like a snake-shaped baby rattle, a stuffed plush snake doll, and a set of round snake teething rings. He also gave the baby a miniature potions set that actually worked.  
  
  
  
Albus had sent the baby a gold and maroon Christmas stocking. In it was a stuffed lion, and a stuffed phoenix toy, and a book entitled, Great Gryffindors in Wizarding History.   
  
  
  
Adriana laughed as she set these gifts out before her. She wondered how those two men would take it if the baby ended up being a Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw. She didn't care though, she'd love the baby no matter what house he was sorted into.   
  
  
  
Severus spent New Year's Eve at Adriana's house, since she couldn't attend the Masque this year. They spent a pleasant evening on the couch watching, Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. Adriana had never seen Severus so amused as he laughed over the "And cancel Christmas" line. "Now there's something I'd do if I was in charge of the school!" He'd laughed.  
  
  
  
Adriana smiled at the end of the movie, and informed Severus, "I don't see what Marion saw in Robin Hood, I'd have taken the Sheriff of Nottingham any day!"  
  
  
  
Severus smiled again, "He definitely was the better of the two men, I'd agree."  
  
  
  
Midnight struck on the clock in the living room and Severus kissed Adriana. They'd never spoken of what had almost taken place between them, but had chosen to just move on as though it had never happened. As Severus was leaving, he placed his hands on Adriana's stomach and was rewarded with a couple of fluttery kicks against his palms. Adriana was instructed to send him an owl as soon as she felt the first signs of labour, which should be anytime in the upcoming month.  
  
  
  
During the next couple of weeks, Adriana was quite uncomfortable and tried to pass the time by making last minute changes in the baby's room, which she had finished over a month ago. Late one Friday evening, Adriana was lifting a box of cloth diapers and putting it on the changing table, when she felt warm fluid drenching her legs. At first she thought she'd wet herself, which didn't surprise her seeing as the baby had enjoyed resting on her bladder for the last several months, but when she felt herself beginning to cramp up, she realized her water had broken.  
  
  
  
The pain began slowly, but in the next several minutes, as Adriana was walking to the writing desk to write to Severus, it increased. Bending over in pain, she hastily wrote a note to Severus, telling him what city and which hospital she'd be going to. Opening the front door and calling out to Hitchcock, she attached the note to him and sent him off.  
  
  
  
As the pain had subsided, Adriana carefully picked up the car seat, walked to Flynn, and put it in the back seat. The next contraction began and Adriana didn't want to walk back to the house for the suitcase, so she summoned it to her, locked the door, and got into the car. Unable to drive Flynn, Adriana put a driving spell on it and allowed it to take her to the hospital. She felt a thrill of excitement at the thought of going to casualty and being taken up to the maternity ward.   
  
  
  
The drive to the hospital took about 45 minutes, and Adriana had contractions every five minutes during the ride. Finding a spot in the car park, Adriana parked Flynn, took her suitcase, and slowly made her way to casualty.  
  
  
  
A kind nurse helped Adriana into a wheelchair and took her up to the maternity ward, where she signed herself in. She was taken to a private room where another nurse helped her out of her clothes and into a hospital nightgown. Within minutes, Severus came bursting into the room. "Where have you been? I've been here for the past half hour looking for you!" He said. He watched as the nurse examined Adriana, and listened as she told her she was only dilated to two centimetres so far. The nurse suggested to Adriana that she and Severus walk around the hallway for a while in order to speed up the dilation process.   
  
  
  
After the nurse left the two alone, Severus closed the door and began to berate Adriana for leaving without him. "How could you do such a thing! You could have gotten in an accident!" He yelled at her. "I've never been so worried in my life! And when Albus finds out, I don't even want to know what he'll do!"  
  
  
  
Adriana bent over in pain as another contraction began. When it subsided, she looked up at Severus. "Nothing happened, what was I supposed to do? I had no idea if you'd be busy or able to come help me. You're very involved at the school and I can't depend on you to do everything for me!"   
  
  
  
"You still should have waited till you heard from me!"  
  
  
  
"Well, I didn't think about that! It's not that big of a deal! I'm here, you're here, and soon the baby will be here," Adriana said, clearly not understanding why Severus was so upset.  
  
  
  
Severus shook his head. She was obviously not thinking logically. "You know what? Let's just walk around for a bit, ok?" He held his hand out for Adriana to take and helped her stand up. Adriana made him check to see if the nightgown was tied tightly enough to cover her backside. When he'd assured her she was properly concealed, he put his arm around her waist and helped her out of the room. And thus began the longest night of their lives.  
  
  
  
Up the hall, down the hall, back and forth, for an hour, stopping only when Adriana bent over in the pain of a contraction. Severus hated seeing her in pain like that and kept asking if she'd allow him to make her a potion for it. Adriana insisted on not using any magic and reminded him that it would be difficult for him to brew a potion without anybody noticing him and that maybe he'd better just shut up and help her walk, because that's what he was there to do.  
  
  
  
After checking in with the nurse back at her room, Adriana found out she'd dilated two more centimetres that hour. They were sent back out to the hall for more walking. Severus tried to come up with interesting things for them to talk about in order to help pass the time. "So, the kid spills the potion all over his clothes, and his black robes turn bright pink! I had to clean both him and his mess up! Kids can be so stupid sometimes!" He had moved onto school stories by the time they had walked another hour in the hallway.  
  
  
  
"You know, I'm sure you were responsible for some stupid mistakes yourself when you were a student there. I'll have to make sure to ask Albus if he remembers anything. And by the way, you are never teaching this kid!" She said, pointing to her stomach. With that, Adriana bent over once again in a very strong contraction, groaning and holding tightly to Sev's hand.  
  
  
  
Severus grimaced in pain as he felt his hand being crushed. "Do you want to go back now?" He asked. Adriana silently nodded her head and he gently led her back to the room.  
  
  
  
The nurse looked at Adriana and told her she was seven centimetres dilated and should stay in the room now. She hooked Adriana up to all sorts of monitors that measured her and the baby's heart rate and blood pressure. The contractions were almost constant now, and Adriana was in a great amount of pain. Severus rubbed her shoulders and the small of her back, while she lay on her side, breathing deeply.  
  
  
  
Sev's hands were cramping after a while and he had to stop to rest them. Adriana was moaning and rocking gently back and forth on her side. He hated feeling helpless like this, why wouldn't she just let him help her! He could have brewed up potions to take away her pain and speed up the process at the same time! Why was she being so difficult? He was relieved when the nurse returned to look at Adriana's progress. Eight centimetres! Severus was shocked. All that pain for an entire hour for one lousy centimetre? Severus made the nurse check again, only to be dismayed that Adriana was still in fact, only eight centimetres dilated. Adriana was pretty wrapped up in the pain to notice what was happening, so he decided not to tell her how little progress she'd made.  
  
  
  
As Sev was rubbing her back, Adriana began to whimper quietly. "Sev?" She called out in barely more than a whisper, "I think I'm done, I don't want to do this anymore, I want to go home now."  
  
  
  
Severus leaned over her and kissed her cheek. "You're too far into this to quit now. You're doing a great job, I'm so proud of you." Those words seemed to be the encouragement Adriana needed to endure the pain, for her whimpering stopped and she began to breath steadily.  
  
  
  
The nurse came back on the hour and examined Adriana. Nine centimetres! Severus couldn't help himself. "Nine centimetres is pretty close to ten, what's the big deal about one centimetre? Can't we try with nine?"   
  
  
  
The nurse smiled sympathetically and patted his arm, "I'm sorry sir, but it has to be ten. If it's any consolation, she's doing amazingly well for somebody with no pain medication. Most women would be screaming and writhing in agony by now."  
  
  
  
Severus looked fondly at Adriana, he cared about her so much, it was torture to see her like this. He walked back over to her and rubbed her shoulders. Adriana seemed to be in some sort of trance, embracing the pain she felt as a way of working through it. The hour passed slowly, Sev watched the clock as each minute ticked off to the next. He wasn't too much of a drinker, but Sev was thinking he'd need a few stiff drinks after the baby was finally born. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. "Adriana, would you like me to read to you? You packed some books in your suitcase, didn't you?" Severus walked to Adriana's suitcase and opened it up. Taking the first book he found, he brought it back to the bed, and began reading aloud, where he found the bookmark. "Colonel Brandon alone, of all the party, heard her without being in raptures. He paid her only the compliment of attention; and she felt a respect for him on the occasion, which the others had reasonably forfeited by their shameless want of taste." What book was this? It was so boring. Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen. How could she stand reading this? It was putting him to sleep! Tossing the book back to the suitcase, Severus went back to rubbing Adriana's back.  
  
  
  
Finally the hour passed and the nurse returned to check on Adriana. Ten centimetres! Relief flooded Severus' body, now they could begin with the really hard work. The nurse went to tell the doctor that Adriana was ready for him to see her, which brought up another issue, a male doctor? Adriana was going to let a man deliver her baby? Severus wasn't so sure he wanted a strange man to look at Adriana that way, but wasn't going to interfere with Adriana's plans. This was what she wanted, and he couldn't stop her. Severus gently told Adriana that the doctor was coming to see her in a few minutes, and that she could start pushing soon.  
  
  
  
After a short time, the doctor appeared with the nurse. He wore blue scrubs and a confident look on his face. Severus didn't like this man. He didn't want him anywhere near Adriana and had to restrain himself as the doctor walked to her and introduced himself. Dr. Dan. Adriana spoke quietly to the doctor as he held her hand. Dr. Dan moved around to Adriana's legs and told her he was going to examine her. Severus watched as he lifted her nightgown up over her stomach, exposing her bottom half to the world. Dr. Dan helped move Adriana's legs into stirrups where she could help push more easily. Dr. Dan put his hands on Adriana's thighs and spread them apart so that he could put his arms in between them to assist in the birth.   
  
  
  
Dr. Dan told Severus that the best way he could help would be to position himself behind Adriana's back, supporting her while she sat up to push. "Sev, I'm so thirsty, I'm so hot," She said as they moved her around. The nurse left the room and returned a few minutes later with a glass of ice chips, a spoon, and a damp cloth. Severus fed her ice chips and wiped her sweating brow with the cloth.   
  
  
  
Dr. Dan told them that with the next contraction, he wanted Adriana to push. So Severus braced himself against the wall, with Adriana against his chest. Adriana grabbed onto the handles of the bed and dug her feet into the stirrups. As Adriana felt the contraction beginning, she leaned into Severus and whispered, "Well, here we go," and began to push with all her strength. Adriana cried out in pain as she pushed. When the contraction subsided, Dr. Dan told her to stop pushing and catch her breath. Panting and leaning her head back against Sev's chest, Adriana tried to regain her strength for the next round. As the doctor reached inside of her to feel for the baby's progress, Severus thought he might reach over and punch the Muggle senseless. The doctor told her that it was a good start, but there hadn't been much movement of the baby.   
  
  
  
Adriana braced herself for the next contraction and pushed again. The baby seemed to be stubborn and didn't want to come. After two hours of pushing, only a small amount of progress had been made. Adriana was exhausted. Severus kept feeding her ice chips and wiping her forehead. He was pretty tired as well, but wasn't going to quit until the baby was born.   
  
  
  
While looking at one of the monitors, Dr. Dan told them to prepare for the next contraction which was going to be big. Adriana pushed harder than she had before this point, screaming in pain and exertion as she felt that her body was splitting apart from the inside out. The doctor told her that had been the best one yet and one more like that might do it. Preparing for the next contraction, Adriana took one last deep breath and began to push. The pain was overwhelming and Adriana screamed in agony. But she felt the blood of a thousand generations of women who had done this before her, flowing through her body that gave her the power to push harder than ever before. She felt something pass between her legs and suddenly the pain stopped. Gasping, Adriana asked, "Is it over? Did I do it?" She was answered by a little scream that sounded more beautiful to Adriana than any symphony she'd ever heard before. A huge smile broke out on her face as the baby wailed loudly. Tears filled her eyes as she listened. "Is it a boy or a girl? I want to see my baby! Let me see my baby!" She cried out.  
  
  
  
Severus looked down at her, grinning, "She's beautiful, Adriana, you have a daughter!" He leaned down and kissed her in congratulation. Sev forgave Dr. Dan for everything when he was allowed to cut the baby's umbilical cord. He followed the baby over to the table where they washed and weighed her. The nurse wrapped the baby up in a blanket and placed her in Sev's arms. He gazed at her, seeing how she'd grown since he'd seen her several months before, though she was still very tiny. He slowly walked the baby over to Adriana and placed her daughter in her outstretched arms.   
  
  
  
Adriana looked at her daughter for the first time. She was small, with five perfect fingers on each hand and five perfect toes on each foot. It was difficult to see her pale blonde hair through all the tears in Adriana's eyes. When the baby opened her eyes to look at her mother, she saw the beautiful clear blueness that all babies had when they were born. All the pain she had been in that night faded away as she held the wonderful reward in her arms.   
  
  
  
Severus leaned down to look at the baby, "Adriana, what are you going to name her?"   
  
  
  
Adriana gazed into the baby's eyes, as though waiting for her daughter to tell her her name. "Renata," Adriana said finally, smiling. "It means reborn."  
  
  
  
Severus caressed the baby's cheek and whispered, "Happy birthday, Renata." 


	35. Meeting Baby

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Wicked Lee: I'm so glad Renata's name meets with your approval. I put a lot of time and research in finding just the right name. The chapters are going to continue to be dark, and they will get worse before it's all over, but I hope you continue to read and enjoy the story anyway!  
  
TavingtonRose: I'm so sorry your father lost his job and again glad I can be there to help you through a tough time. I'm so glad you caught the Alan Rickman references, they were too fun to pass up! Here's another fun chapter for your enjoyment!  
  
Arsinoe3: I'm so happy that people caught the Alan Rickman references, they were so much fun to slip into the story! Severus is just the best, isn't he? I agree that he was the ideal person to be with her when she gave birth! Here's the next chapter, make sure to look for the hat description!  
  
Meeting Baby  
  
Severus was still awake even though it was very late. He gazed at the sleeping figure of Adriana, with Renata in her arms. She'd been so tired after the birth, but stayed awake for a long time afterwards, fussing over Renata. When they'd been left alone for a while, Severus helped Adriana into the nightgown that she'd brought with her, and moved her to the other bed in the room.   
  
  
  
Severus thought he'd be all right with everything dealing with the baby, but found himself very uncomfortable when he saw Adriana preparing to breast feed Renata for the first time. He'd seen her naked before, but somehow this was different. Severus felt like he was invading some sacred ritual passed down from mother to child, and he had no business being there. Adriana hadn't told him to leave, but he turned around and looked out the window until Renata was done eating.  
  
  
  
Adriana hadn't felt the sensation of breast feeding a child in over three centuries. She'd been nervous that she wouldn't remember how to do it right, but found all the instincts returning to help her. Renata drank greedily from her mother, kneading her tiny hands against Adriana's skin the entire time. Severus was listening to the baby feeding when he heard Adriana, gasp. "Ow, she bit me! No more biting mummy," She said softly to the baby. When she was full, Renata drifted contentedly off to sleep. Adriana had followed suit not too long afterwards.  
  
  
  
Severus had turned out the lights and pulled a chair up to the bed to sit in. After a couple of hours, Renata had woken up briefly. She opened her eyes up, looked around the room, and saw the man sitting in front of her. Severus leaned forward, smiled and reached his hand out to pat Renata on the stomach. She had stared intensely back at him for a few minutes before drifting back off to sleep again.  
  
  
  
When the morning had finally come and Adriana had woken to feed Renata once again, Severus took the opportunity to leave the hospital for a while. He told Adriana he would go to her property, and use Hitchcock to send a note off to Albus. Severus wrote the note before leaving, telling Albus to come to the hospital as soon as possible, and to make sure he stopped at Gringott's bank before he arrived.  
  
  
  
But when Severus apparated to Adriana's barn, he saw somebody he hoped he'd never see again: Lucius. What the hell was he doing here? Despite abandoning Adriana, he'd come back? Lucius was looking in Adriana's kitchen windows, trying to see if she was inside the house. Severus sent Hitchcock off to Albus, and left the barn, walking quietly to the house. Lucius was so absorbed in what he was doing that he didn't hear Severus approaching. Severus was unsure of what to do, he obviously had the upper hand. There were so many possibilities, both magical and non-magical. Years of resentment were urging him to do something really immature, but that was so beneath him. He was an adult, a man, he couldn't allow such feelings to win out. He was just about to announce himself to Lucius, when his immature, childish side won out. Severus raised his foot and gave Lucius one very hard kick in the ass. Lucius yelped as he flew through the air, and landed face first on the ground. Quickly turning over, Lucius saw Severus laughing at him.   
  
  
  
"Oh, you think that's so funny, don't you?" Lucius sneered.  
  
  
  
"Yes I do," Severus replied.  
  
  
  
Lucius made his way to his feet and brushed himself off. "Where's Adriana?" He demanded.  
  
  
  
"You don't get to ask that. You abandoned her, remember? What do you want with her anyway?"  
  
  
  
"That's none of your business, it's between Adriana and myself. I need to see her!" Lucius, normally very composed at all times, was finding himself unraveling at the seams in front of Severus.  
  
  
  
Severus remained silent for a couple of minutes while scrutinizing Lucius carefully. Severus thought he sounded very desperate, what sort of trouble had he gotten himself into? A horrible idea formed in his head: Voldemort had found out about Adriana. "Tell the Dark Lord, Adriana will never join him. That's what this is about isn't it? He's pressuring you into bringing Adriana over to his side, isn't he? It won't work, you do realize that, don't you?"   
  
  
  
Lucius looked at Severus as though willing him to die on the spot. Why didn't he use the Avada curse on him and get rid of this thorn in his side, once and for all? As much as he wanted to, he knew Adriana wouldn't respond well if he killed her best friend. Why didn't he use the Avada curse on himself and end all of his problems? But that was an easy way out, and far too below him to even seriously consider. "You don't know anything, Snape! I just need to see her, that's all."  
  
  
  
"Why? To tell her how much you still love her? To forgive her for being Muggle-born? To show her how wrong you were? And how much you've changed? It isn't that easy, Lucius, you broke her heart, and I had to pick up all the pieces! You will not see her again, do you understand?" Severus glared at Lucius. "And if the Dark Lord wonders what to do for failing to bring her to him, give him my advice: tell him to make the world a better place, and kill you straight off."  
  
  
  
Lucius saw there was no point in further discussion with Severus, apparated out of his sight, and back to Malfoy Manor. Severus walked around the property for a while, and managed to calm himself down somewhat, before apparating back to Adriana's room at the hospital.  
  
  
  
Albus had received Hitchcock's note, and had stopped at Gringott's bank before heading over to the hospital. He grumbled over the fact that he had to pay Severus for the bets he had lost. Albus made one more stop before apparating to Adriana's room, to the Order headquarters, making the decision to pick up an old friend of Adriana's that she hadn't seen in a very long time. He'd thought about bringing him back into Adriana's life much earlier than this point, but given their history of fighting, didn't want that during the pregnancy.  
  
  
  
Albus apparated to Adriana's room by himself first, to have some time with Renata before the others showed up. "May I see her, Adriana?" he said quietly, not wanting to wake Renata if she was asleep.   
  
  
  
"Albus, I'm so glad to see you," Adriana whispered back, standing up with Renata in her arms. After walking to him, she put the baby in Albus' arms, and smiled as he rocked Renata back and forth.  
  
  
  
"She's beautiful, just like her mother, although she doesn't really look like her mother, does she?" Albus said, smiling at Adriana.  
  
  
  
"No, I think she's all Malfoy. She has her father's hair, what little of it she has, her mouth is the same shape, and so is her nose. And she's very demanding, like her father. I just hope she doesn't turn out like him," Adriana's lower lip began to quiver when she'd finished speaking.   
  
Albus leaned over and drew her into his embrace. "Now, now honey, don't let him spoil your first day as a mother. Hey, I have somebody waiting to come over for you to see, you haven't seen him in a long time. Should I tell him to apparate over?"  
  
  
  
Adriana didn't know who Albus was talking about, but told him it was all right. Albus took out a small round device and pushed the button in the middle of it. About a minute later, a man apparated into the room with a loud popping noise. A man Adriana had never seen before appeared before her, with a huge grin on his face. He wasn't a very attractive man, he was missing body parts and his face looked as though he'd leaned too far into a blender one day while it was running. One eye was larger than the other and moved independently of it as well. She looked with disgust as it rolled around in its socket. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" She asked cautiously.  
  
  
  
The man laughed loudly, "I told you she wouldn't recognize me Albus!" He said, his larger magic eye looking at Dumbledore, while the rest of him remained facing Adriana. "Yes, I have seen better days, I will admit, and you were there for many of them. Addie, we were the three Musketeers, remember? The Triple Alliance, doesn't that ring a bell?"  
  
  
  
Adriana studied the man's face carefully, and noticed a twinkle in his normal eye. Awareness slowly donned on Adriana's face and she broke into a huge smile, "Alastor? Alastor Moody?" When he nodded his head, Adriana gasped and threw her arms around him. "Oh, I can't believe it, I haven't seen you in decades!"   
  
  
  
"Now, you're not still angry with me, are you Addie? You know I had to do something to get you to go to the States the first time this was happening," Moody said, looking fondly at Adriana.  
  
  
  
"Ah, that's ancient history," Adriana said, waving her hand. "Although, I still don't think you needed to drug me, but that was a long time ago, and I can see why you were so worried back then."   
  
  
  
Alastor moved over to Albus who was still holding Renata, and took a good look at her. "She's a beauty, this one. You're going to have to keep a close eye on her, she'll be having all the boys coming after her," Alastor said, tickling Renata's chin. "By the way, where's her father? Do I know him? I should congratulate him while I'm here."  
  
  
  
"Uh, well, he's not here right now. He's away on business, uh, his boss keeps a pretty tight rein on him," Adriana said, blushing.  
  
  
  
"Oh well, I'm sure I'll meet him sometime," Moody said, still looking at Renata.  
  
  
  
Severus chose this time to apparate back to the room. His hair was more disheveled than usual and he had a wild look on his face. Thank goodness Albus was here, but he'd brought Moody with him? Great, this should be fun. Albus smiled at Severus while handing him a small sack of money from Gringott's, and said, "So, I lost all the bets, did I?"  
  
  
  
"You two bet on my baby?" Adriana asked. "And you didn't let me in on it?" Renata suddenly began to shriek in Albus' arms. Adriana went to him, took the baby, and sat in a chair to feed her. Lifting her shirt up, the three men stared for a few seconds as she put Renata up to her breast to eat.  
  
  
  
Severus turned bright red, Albus cleared his throat, and Moody's magic eye raced wildly for something else to look at. "Would you look at that," Moody said, "That's a beautiful picture of motherhood, right there...A perfectly normal and natural part of life...Well I gotta go, I'll come back in a little while," With that, Moody walked out of the room, followed closely by Albus and Severus.   
  
  
  
Severus wished he could speak to Albus alone, but Moody wasn't going anywhere. "Why is he here?" Severus asked, not trying to be polite.  
  
  
  
"Now just a minute, why are you here?" Moody asked, glaring at Severus. "What right do you have to be anywhere near that child?" Moody asked, raising his voice and putting his hands on his hips.  
  
  
  
"I helped Adriana deliver the baby last night! And I've helped her for the past nine months after--" Severus broke off as Albus grabbed his arm suddenly.   
  
  
  
"Severus has been a good friend to Adriana for several years now, and he has the right to be here Alastor," Albus interrupted.  
  
  
  
"That's right, I've been supporting her ever since Lucius left her. Where have you been?" Severus said, his eyes flashing angrily.  
  
  
  
"Lucius? Lucius Malfoy?"  
  
  
  
"Yes."  
  
  
  
"What does Malfoy have to do with anything?" Moody asked.  
  
  
  
"What? You didn't know?" Severus looked at Albus, who was looking at his shoes.  
  
  
  
"Know what?"  
  
  
  
"Uh, well, Lucius is Renata's father," Severus said slowly.  
  
  
  
Moody looked as though his magical eye was about to pop out of his head and roll down the hall. "That monster is that adorable little baby's father? Adriana had a child with that man?" Moody broke off suddenly as he turned back to the room, slamming the door open and storming back inside. Walking as quickly as he could with his peg leg, he made his way to where Adriana was still nursing Renata. "Malfoy is the baby's father? What the hell is wrong with you? You willingly slept with that man? Didn't you know about him? Why didn't you run in the opposite direction the first time you met him?"  
  
  
  
Adriana stared at Moody for several moments, not sure at first what he was talking about. Waiting until Renata was finished eating, she pulled her shirt back down, stood up, and handed the baby to Albus. Looking Moody in his good eye, she spoke quietly but fiercely, "You don't know what you're talking about Alastor. This wasn't some spur of the moment decision, I'd known Lucius for years before I chose to become pregnant. You will not speak ill of the man I love, especially not in front of our daughter, understand?"  
  
  
  
"Honestly Adriana, you can be so blind and stupid sometimes! That was always your biggest problem! That's why Albus and I had to ship you off to the States the first time. You'd have done something stupid back then too!" Moody yelled at Adriana.  
  
  
  
"What a wonderful idea of yours to bring Alastor here today, Albus," Adriana said sarcastically, looking at Dumbledore, and glaring. "Now I remember why I haven't talked to you for 20 years!" Adriana turned towards Moody.   
  
  
  
Albus looked at Severus and jerked his head towards the door. Taking Renata with them, the two men left the room, leaving Alastor and Adriana to continue arguing. "Well, I hope they work through all of this quickly," Severus said quietly. "We need to make some plans, Lucius was at the house when I arrived this morning. He was looking for Adriana, I think the Dark Lord wants her. He's forcing Lucius to bring her to him."  
  
  
  
Albus clutched Renata closely to him. He'd known it was only a matter of time before Voldemort found out about Adriana and tried to come after her. He knew Adriana wouldn't want to let him or the Order help keep her safe. If they were going to do anything, it would have to be in secret. "We need to have somebody patrol the property, but how to do it without her knowing?" Albus said.  
  
  
  
"And who would be able to do it?" Severus asked.  
  
  
  
"Tonks maybe?" Albus suggested.  
  
  
  
"NO! I don't want that woman anywhere near Renata. She'd probably drop her the first time she picked her up!" Severus said, closing the subject.  
  
  
  
"What about Lupin then?" Albus asked.  
  
  
  
"The werewolf? I wouldn't trust him not to eat them in their sleep or bite them under a full moon," Severus replied, nixing that idea. "And don't even say Black, he's the world's most narcissistic egomaniacal womanizer, and he shouldn't be allowed anywhere near somebody as...important...as Adriana," He added quickly.  
  
  
  
Albus turned around so Severus wouldn't see him smiling. Those two men had always had such a rivalry. Facing Severus once again, Albus said, "Well, Alastor and Adriana would probably kill each other, so it shouldn't be him. Maybe we should just put more charms and spells around the property. We could probably get away with that without Adriana finding out."  
  
  
  
"And when she did find out, which she would, then what? She'd kill us. What about some sort of sensing device? Like the ones we have set up in the girls' dormitories at school. We could set something like that up around the property, that would alert the Order of any Death Eater activity around Adriana's house," Severus suggested.  
  
  
  
Albus thought this sounded like the best option they had. Since Adriana was being discharged from the hospital in a while, he decided to break up the fight between her and Moody. He wanted to talk to Alastor alone for a while, and let him know the latest developments.  
  
  
  
As Severus and Albus walked back in the room, they listened for a few minutes to Alastor and Adriana fighting before intervening. "You're a spoiled little brat Adriana, you always have been! Everybody else may coddle you and give you whatever you want, but not me! Somebody has to knock some sense into you!" Moody was yelling at the top of his lungs.  
  
  
  
"How dare you call me a brat? You're being such a prick!" Adriana yelled back.  
  
  
  
"Because you are a brat! You need to grow up! For somebody as old as you are, I'd think you'd be a little bit wiser by now. I should just drug you again and ship you back off to the States, that would solve all our problems!"  
  
  
  
At this point, Albus walked to Alastor while Severus walked to Adriana and pulled them away from each other. Albus walked Alastor all the way out of the room as Severus helped Adriana pack up to go home.   
  
  
  
"Albus, why do you let her get away with this kind of stuff? Why don't you put your foot down more often, she has to be put in her place once in a while. She's not the almighty princess who gets whatever she wants!" Moody said, glaring at Albus.  
  
  
  
"If I did that, she'd cut herself off from me, and where would that get us? Nowhere! At least this way I know vaguely what she's up to. You know Adriana, she's always needed to be treated with kid gloves, and that's why I haven't told you about her until this point. I didn't need you making a mess of all that I tried to do. So, calm down, and just keep your opinions to yourself, OK?"  
  
  
  
"Fine, if that's what you think is best," Moody grumbled.  
  
  
  
"I do, besides, we have more important things to deal with now," Albus said. He carefully explained everything that Severus had told him and about the plan to put a detection device around Adriana's property.   
  
  
  
In the room, Adriana was telling Severus about the conversation with Alastor. "Can you believe it? He said I was a brat!"  
  
  
  
"That is just amazing, some people can say the rudest things," Severus said sympathetically, shaking his head, trying to hide a smile.  
  
  
  
"Actually, that was a lot of fun, I haven't had a row like that in a really long time. This one was pretty tame compared to some of our other arguments. But we haven't seen each other in a while, I suppose we're out of practice," Adriana said.  
  
  
  
"Oh well, I bet you'll have many more opportunities to fight with him, I don't think he's going anywhere. Come on, let's get ready to go back home," Severus picked up Adriana's hairbrush and put it in the suitcase. Together they packed and got ready to leave.  
  
  
  
It was decided that Albus and Alastor would apparate to Adriana's house, while she and Severus drove Renata home. Before going to Adriana's house, Albus and Alastor stopped at the Order headquarters to pick up the detection devices they'd need. After finding the equipment, they went to Adriana's house. Albus showed Alastor around the property, and together they put the devices in several hidden places around the farm. They fixed them so that they would alert whoever was at the Order headquarters, but wouldn't let Adriana hear what was happening.   
  
  
  
Alastor was quite impressed with the farm and had fun looking around until Severus and Adriana showed up with Renata. The group moved into the house, and Adriana showed them the baby's room. Renata was wearing the hat Madam Kapelo had made for her. She looked adorable in the gray plaid tam that sat jauntily on her head. All four adults stood around the crib, gazing at Renata. Albus looked down at her fondly, "She's just the cutest little thing isn't she? She looks like a bonny wee Scottish lass, doens't she?" He said, "I'm your uncle Albus, Renata. And some day, when you're a student at my school, you can sleep in the biggest room in Gryffindor house!"   
  
  
  
"And I'm your uncle Severus, Renata. When you come to Hogwarts, and live in Slytherin house, you can stay in the biggest room there, which is much bigger than the biggest room in icky Gryffindor house," Severus said, putting his hand against hers, letting her wind her fingers around his pinky finger.  
  
  
  
"And I'm your uncle Alastor, Reni. I can teach you spells to help you not throw up when these two men start getting on your nerves, just like right now," Moody said, grinning at Renata.  
  
  
  
"It's Renata, Alastor," Severus said, correcting him.  
  
  
  
"Yeah, Reni, that's what I said," Moody replied, grinning at Severus, who frowned disapprovingly.  
  
  
  
Alastor and Albus left a couple hours later, leaving Severus and Adriana alone. Renata was sleeping peacefully, and they sat at the kitchen table eating bacon sandwiches. "Sev, how would you feel about being Renata's godfather? You've been so supportive of me and have helped me through such a hard time, you deserve it," Adriana asked, grabbing Severus' hand.  
  
  
  
Severus stopped in mid-bite, his sandwich dropping haphazardly back onto his plate, "Her godfather? Are you sure you shouldn't have Albus be her godfather? You probably don't want me to be her godfather."   
  
  
  
Adriana sighed, "Sev, you were there last night, you helped me deliver Renata. I know you'd be an excellent godfather, and I want you to be hers. Please?"  
  
  
  
"But I'm not good with children, just ask any of my students. I'm sure I wouldn't know what to do. You really don't want me to be her godfather, there are so many better people out there..." Severus trailed off, looking at his hand that was still being held in Adriana's.  
  
  
  
Adriana leaned forward and kissed Severus on the forehead. "All right, if you don't want to be Renata's godfather, then you'll just have to go into her room and tell her that you don't want the job. I'm sure she'll get over it...some day. She was so looking forward to it too. But that's OK, if you don't want to, she doesn't need a godfather..."   
  
  
  
Without another word, Severus stood up and walked to Renata's room. Walking up to the crib, he peered down at the sleeping, tiny figure of the helpless child. All he wanted to do was pick her up in his arms and hold her forever. "Look kid, you don't want me to be your godfather. I'm not a people person. I'm not very good with taking care of children either. Albus would be a much better man for the job. He wasn't a Death Eater, he's been an upstanding citizen his entire life. I still have a lot to make up for. You deserve a better godfather than me," Severus whispered down at Renata.  
  
  
  
Looking at her for a few more minutes without speaking, Severus sighed, "So, if I did accept the position as godfather, you'd be all right with that? Even though I might make mistakes? You wouldn't mind? I guess I do want to be your godfather, I just don't want to disappoint you, you know?" Continuing to look at her, Severus slowly began to smile. "I'm gonna be your godfather, I'm gonna be your godfather!" He whispered, then looked around to make sure Adriana hadn't come into the room without him noticing. Carefully leaning forward into her crib, Severus kissed Renata's cheek and rubbed her stomach for a minute before walking out of the room and back to Adriana. "All right, here are the conditions for my being Renata's godfather. I get to give her presents not only at Christmas and her birthday, but whenever I damn well want to. I get to come over and visit her whenever I want to. And she will come over to Hogwarts to visit me. And I want a picture of her so I can keep it in my room," Severus had sat back down across from Adriana, and was looking at her with his arms crossed.   
  
  
  
Adriana smiled, but quickly grew serious. "I accept those conditions, and thank you for taking the position as Renata's godfather. It doesn't pay much, and the responsibility is great, but I know you'll do well with this job," Adriana said, holding her hand out for Severus to shake. Severus shook her hand, very business-like, as though closing an important deal.  
  
  
  
"Thank you," Severus said shyly.   
  
  
  
Adriana hugged him tightly, kissed his cheek, and said, "No, thank you." 


	36. The Beginning of the End

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Wicked Lee: I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I think Severus was the best choice for a godfather, and I'm glad you approve! This chapter is much darker than the last two, so you might not come away with such a warm, fuzzy feeling.  
  
TavingtonRose: I'm glad that you liked the chapter. This one is dark, so be prepared.  
  
Arsinoe3: I never thought about the 3 fairy godmothers from Sleeping Beauty, but that's a wonderful comparison! I'm sorry to say that Adriana will not be destroying Voldemort in this story, I'm afraid that pleasure's reserved for Harry. I agree that it does seem strange for an immortal to be so immature, but I think Adriana has a touch of the Peter Pan syndrome, she never quite grew up because she didn't really have to. I also think she feels the world owes her something for making her immortal, and she doesn't want to be the wise, mature immortal that she could be. Here's the next chapter, it's dark, so be warned!  
  
The Beginning of the End  
  
Note: This chapter contains more elements of blood and torture like some of the previous Lucius chapters. Be warned that it is a very dark chapter.   
  
Lucius Malfoy was a desperate man. How had this happened to him? He thought he'd done such a great job hiding Adriana from his master for a long time, but all of that was ruined now. He was nervous about what his master would do when he had Adriana in front of him, but had a good feeling that she would be able to look after herself. Then why was he so scared to bring her to him? Adriana wouldn't ever join the Dark Lord's side, never in a million years.   
  
  
  
The Dark Lord enjoyed torturing Lucius by describing the things he planned on doing to Adriana when he finally brought her to him. He was enjoying planning the things he'd do to Adriana, just to see the looks on Lucius' face when he told him about them. "She's such a beautiful girl, and from what I've gathered from your thoughts, very good in bed. I think I should have some fun with her, don't you? Or maybe I should let somebody else have at her. Pettigrew, he's been a loyal subject for a long time, it might be fun to see him attempt to be a real man for once. Although there is something very intriguing about letting Bella have the honour, that would be a lot of fun to watch. Or maybe we can all take turns. But don't worry Lucius, whatever I decide, I'll make sure you get to witness the entire thing."  
  
  
  
Lucius always felt sickened by those images. The thought of Adriana being raped by his master was almost more than he could handle. He had a clear vision of it that filled his mind. The worst part was the idea that he would be helpless to prevent it. He imagined Adriana's screams as she lay helpless underneath the Dark Lord. The vision always ended with her reaching a hand out to Lucius and crying out for him to help her, but he was never able to get to her in time. He always let that vision get to him, and it filled him with rage towards the Dark Lord. If his master ever put his hands on Adriana, Lucius didn't know what he'd do, but it would most likely end in his own long, slow, and painful death. Even with that knowledge, Lucius didn't think it would stop him from trying to save Adriana from his master if it ever happened. Lucius was beginning to think that deep down, he might still be in love with Adriana, though he would never admit it to another soul.   
  
  
  
After planning his reappearance to Adriana's property, and steeling himself to seeing her again after such a long time, Lucius returned to her home. It was an ordinary day in mid-January, and she should have been there, but the house was deserted. Flynn wasn't there either, she must be out shopping or running errands. Still, he walked all around, looking for signs of life inside, but saw none. As he looked into the kitchen window, he was brutally attacked by Snape, who'd appeared out of nowhere, and had beaten him to the ground.   
  
  
  
Lucius looked up at Snape, wishing he could kill him just by thinking about it, assuming his wand would still not work on the property. Snape spoke harshly to Lucius, telling him how he wasn't about to allow Adriana to see him. Lucius had never known how controlling Snape could be. Who did he think he was to keep Lucius Malfoy from seeing Adriana if he wished to?   
  
  
  
Seeing as he was not going to speak with Adriana today, Lucius left and returned to the manor. He dreaded reporting his failure back to his master, for the Dark Lord would be most displeased with him. But seeing as he hadn't told his master about this visit, he had no need to tell him any time soon. He spent the rest of the week locked in the master bedroom. When he wasn't making plans for his next attempt to see Adriana, he was sleeping. All he wanted to do anymore was sleep, for in his dreams, he found peace and happiness, both of which were absent from his life at this point. He also found himself needing more rest to recover from his master's punishments. It took all of his energy to carry on afterwards.   
  
  
  
Lucius had tried to avoid Bella after she'd turned him in to the Dark Lord, which was difficult since she was still living at his home. His master no longer trusted him on his own and had assigned Bella to look after him. It was humiliating to say the very least, though Lucius was still extremely grateful to his master for being allowed to continue with the prophecy recovery mission.  
  
  
  
Even more humiliating though, was the fact that the Dark Lord had seemed to have turned Lucius into a sort of pet. Even if he had done nothing wrong, there were many times when his master grew bored and turned torturing Lucius into a fun activity to help pass the time. The Dark Lord always made sure this entertainment was witnessed by as many other Death Eaters as possible. Sometimes he even let the other Death Eaters partake in the fun, standing back and laughing at Lucius as he writhed in pain and cried out for them to stop.  
  
  
  
Bella in particular seemed to relish these activities. She enjoyed using a small dagger to cut Lucius with. She never stabbed, only cut, sometimes designs, into his skin. Pettigrew enjoyed following after Bella with salt or lemon juice, and rubbing that into the new design she had carved into Lucius. Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, all of them had their own signature acts they liked to perform on their colleague.   
  
  
  
One Death Eater in particular though, Crouch, seemed less inclined to partake in these activities, thinking himself above such trivial acts of causing pain. He was made to clean up after these times, and to look after Lucius while he recovered enough to apparate back to his manor.  
  
  
  
One day, after one such round of fun with Lucius, Crouch was washing the blood off of Lucius' arms, when he began to mutter quietly to himself, "Look at this, these people, creating such a mess and leaving me to clean it up. The things I do for that woman..." Crouch trailed off, while gently washing the salt caked in the cuts on Lucius' arms.  
  
  
  
Lucius was groggy and not fully alert, but had heard what Crouch had said. "What woman? Bella?" He asked in a slurred voice.  
  
  
  
"No, not her," Crouch said angrily. As Crouch sneered at Lucius, Lucius thought he looked like somebody else he knew, but as his vision was quite blurred, he might have been mistaken. Lucius kept a close eye on him for the rest of the time Crouch was with him, trying to figure out who he reminded him of, but never did figure it out.  
  
  
  
Lucius had planned on going back to Adriana's house to try to bring her to the Dark Lord. He never found out where she'd been the first time he'd gone, but hoped she would be there this time. He wanted to talk to her clearly and rationally, explain to her why she needed to do him this favour. Lucius hoped that once the Dark Lord met with Adriana and saw that she wouldn't join with him, that he'd let her go, and that would be the end of it. He realized it was wishful thinking, but couldn't help hoping anyway.  
  
  
  
Lucius quietly walked through the trees of Adriana's property, so he could come to her back door. Somehow it seemed more humble that way, and he needed every chance to appeal to her. As he was about to come into a clearing, he was broad-sided by somebody, but had no idea who it was. The man was on top of Lucius, holding his arms down, growling at him, "Malfoy, I knew you'd be coming back! What the hell are you doing here? What do you want with Addie?"  
  
  
  
"Mad Eye Moody? What the hell are you doing here? Get off me! I need to see Adriana!" Lucius was very uncomfortable, being pinned down in such a manner.  
  
  
  
"Well, you're not gonna, so just clear off!" Moody tightened his grip on Lucius' arms, which was extremely painful. His fingers dug into the fresh designs Bella had given Lucius the day before.  
  
  
  
"What gives you the right to tell me what to do? If I want to see Adriana, I will!" Lucius hoped he sounded more confident than he felt.  
  
  
  
"Well, Albus told me to keep an eye on Addie, and that's what I'm doing. And seeing as I'm the one on top of you, I'm thinking you're not going to be seeing her any time soon. Not if I can help it. Which I can." Moody's magic eye rolled in it's socket, causing Lucius' stomach to lurch.  
  
  
  
"Will you get off of me!" Lucius yelled. "You don't understand, it's very important that I see her!"  
  
  
  
"Why, what's so important that you have to tell her right now?" Moody cocked his head quizzically.   
  
  
  
"The Dark Lord is going to come after her unless she comes with me voluntarily," Lucius blurted out quickly, without meaning to.  
  
  
  
"And you were coming to warn her? Bless your heart, what a kind-hearted man you are! Well, you can go on your way now, I'll make sure to pass on the message for you," Moody said, easing up on Lucius.  
  
  
  
Lucius sat up, glaring at Moody. "Why, thank you very much. I'm forever in your debt," Lucius said sarcastically. He knew it was impossible for him to see Adriana today, yet was afraid to leave, for he'd just have to tell his master of his failure and face the Dark Lord's wrath.   
  
  
  
Lucius slowly stood up and turned to leave. Moody watched as he walked away, looking forlorn and pathetic as he walked off to his doom. As Moody made his way to Adriana's back porch, Lucius heard Adriana's sweet voice happily calling out to Mad Eye, "Alastor, what brings you here today?" Lucius stopped for a moment, turned around and saw her from afar. Lucius felt his throat grow tight while he leaned against a tree, watching her. He closed his eyes, and tried to regain his composure.   
  
  
  
Lucius apparated to Malfoy Manor, crawled into bed, and slept for the rest of the day. All Lucius wanted to do was to stay as far away from the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters as possible, for the rest of his life. He couldn't believe he actually felt this way about the people he had loved and aspired to be like for so much of entire life. What was wrong with him? He wished he could sleep the rest of his life away, and never feel any pain again.  
  
  
  
That same evening, Bella screamed outside his door, pounding on it, until he woke up. His stomach was twisted in knots as he knew he could no longer put off meeting with the Dark Lord again. He made the journey to his master's side, along with Bella, where he had to confess to his failure in producing Adriana once again. The Dark Lord was most displeased, and put Lucius under a very painful Cruciatus curse, while allowing Bella to beat Lucius with his walking stick at the same time.   
  
  
  
When both had grown tired of this and abandoned Lucius to find more interesting things to do, Lucius writhed on the ground, clutching at his chest. He had definitely gotten some broken ribs this time around.   
  
  
  
When Lucius was finally able to sit up a little to catch his breath, he wrapped his arms around his legs, and rested his head against his knees. He closed his eyes to try and stop the room from spinning around him. He felt as though he would be sick, when he heard footsteps approaching him. Lucius breathed deeply in and out to calm his stomach down before looking up at the person standing in front of him.   
  
  
  
The Dark Lord stood above Lucius, with his hands on his hips, shaking his head. Bella stood silently at his side. "You'll never be the man your father was. Janos, now there was a Malfoy to be proud of," The Dark Lord sneered at Lucius. "He should have beaten you harder, until his ways rubbed off on you. He could have whipped you harder and more often, maybe cut off an entire finger if it would have done any good. I've tried to train you, like I would any other simple child, to be better, but this is how you turned out. No doubt that whelp of yours is little better than you. I've had to make due with the pathetic, supposed man you are. You can't even get a simple little girl to obey you. But perhaps you like it that way. Do you like letting a female control you? Perhaps you have some unresolved issues about your mother. As it is now, I see I'm going to have get this girl myself. And since I will end up doing all the work of getting her, I believe I will allow myself the joy of...persuading her to my side. I hope she puts up a struggle, that's the way I like them best, it's a little more...pleasurable then."  
  
  
  
With that, Bella gave Lucius one swift kick in his side before both turned and left the room once again. Before he could prevent it, Lucius was sick on the floor, coughing and throwing up blood. He was so dizzy, he couldn't stand, and spent the night on the floor, wishing for the sweet relief of unconsciousness, which unfortunately never came. 


	37. Sanctuary

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Wicked Lee: I feel sorry for everybody too at this point in the story, and unfortunately it isn't going to get any better for quite a while. But I promise it will end on a positive note.  
  
TavingtonRose: I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and I hope you like this one too!  
  
Arsinoe3: Lucius isn't getting much out of his alliance with Voldemort, unfortunately, he's in way too deep to get out now. As it is now, I think death is his only option for getting out, but stay tuned to see what happens, it won't be pretty, but it will resolve a lot. That sounds cryptic, I know, but I can't say anything more, sorry!  
  
Sanctuary  
  
Chapter Note: For those of you who are squeamish around snakes, be warned, there is a snake in this chapter.  
  
Voldemort tried to find the best way to bring Adriana to his side. As soon as he found her, he knew there should have been no problem in drawing her in. Voldemort had a strong feeling that Lucius made Adriana out to be much more than she really was. Was this girl really worth his efforts to find her? Probably not, but he did like the idea of torturing Lucius in the process.  
  
Voldemort wondered who'd be best suited for bringing Adriana to him. Bella was powerful, but a loose cannon, and might not be the best one to go to her. Pettigrew wasn't very strong, and Voldemort thought that even if Adriana wasn't as strong as she was made out to be, she might be able to hurt him. Crouch, perhaps? But he'd changed since he'd returned to his master's side. Before, Crouch had relished the torture aspect of the Death Eaters, but now the years away from his master had weakened him somewhat.   
  
  
  
Voldemort knew he'd think of the right person for the job in time.  
  
  
  
Adriana walked around her property one afternoon, holding Renata in her arms. It was late March, and some of the flowers were starting to bloom. Renata enjoyed looking at all the things on the farm. Adriana picked a blue flower and held it up for the baby to look at. Renata held one small hand out to grab the flower while she chewed contentedly on the other one.   
  
  
  
Adriana was enjoying motherhood more than she remembered the first time around. Renata gave her a whole new way of looking at the world. She felt as though she was seeing it all for the first time again. Adriana didn't care if she was being biased, Renata was the sweetest, smartest, most precious baby in the whole world. Every time Renata looked up at her with those clear gray eyes, she melted. The first three months of her life had been nothing but pure joy. Adriana looked forward every night to waking up to another day with her daughter, which tended to begin only a few hours later. Renata woke regularly every few hours for feedings, she was a very demanding girl when it came to eating. Luckily Adriana was able to sleep in every morning, so she didn't mind.   
  
  
  
Renata loved looking at her toys sent to her by her "uncles". Her room had soon grown full of books, clothes, and toys given to her. The first gift Severus had given her was a can of green paint, so that Adriana could redecorate her bedroom more appropriately, or so the note attached to it had said. Renata's favourite toy was Sly the Rinbear, and she couldn't fall asleep at night without it by her side.  
  
  
  
Adriana remembered the first time Severus had visited the baby, Renata had slept for almost the entire time, but he enjoyed holding her in his arms. Adriana let him feed her a bottle, which Severus said he could do forever. She watched as he put Renata on his shoulder and gently patted her back. When she spat up all over his shirt, Severus had claimed that he didn't mind.   
  
  
  
Severus had told her he was studying child development in order to be a better godfather to Renata. According to This Witch's Guide To Healthy Babies, by Amelia Rourke, Renata was right on schedule for her growth. Now that she was three months old, Renata was capable of doing so much more than even just a month before. Severus showed Adriana what he meant as he set Renata on her stomach one day and was delighted to see Renata lift her head up to look at him as he sat on the floor next to her. And also just like Rourke said, Adriana could see how Renata now smiled at Severus when he came to see her. She remembered the first time Renata had smiled at him. He'd picked her up while she was sleeping, and after a short time, she'd woken up, saw Severus, smiled and cooed at him happily. Severus smiled back, and nuzzled Renata on the nose, cooing back at her.  
  
  
  
Renata was on friendly terms with all her "uncles", for Albus and Alastor visited as often as possible too. There were some weeks when all three men were scarce, due to their Order business. Adriana was always worried about Severus and his role in the Order, for while she didn't know what he did, she'd heard it was very dangerous, and very important. She hoped it wasn't something as dangerous and foolish as sneaking in to Death Eater meetings. That thought made her cringe every time it surfaced.   
  
  
  
All of this was the last thing on Adriana's mind as she traipsed through the woods on the outskirts of the property. As she stepped towards a tree to show Renata the bark, she heard a snapping noise as she set her foot down. Lifting up her foot revealed shards of glass. "What was that?" She asked herself, carefully avoiding the glass while walking to another tree. As Adriana and Renata went back to the house, she saw Severus waiting for them, and the trio spent a wonderful afternoon together.  
  
Since Adriana wasn't a part of the Floo Network, Voldemort couldn't send somebody directly into her home, which would have been ideal. As it was, he would have to send somebody to her property, and transport her back to him. The few people he'd sent over to her house had all met with Order opposition and came back unsuccessful. Somehow the Order had set up some sort of detection system around her property. He'd sent people to try to get in from every direction, but nothing worked. Then, one day, Voldemort sent a most trusted servant to try one last time, and was delighted at his servant's success. Finally, he'd been able to get through to Adriana.  
  
  
  
Adriana stood under an apple tree in her yard. It was still too early for the leaves or fruit to be appearing on the tree, so she munched happily on an apple that she'd purchased from a store, taking in all the sights of the farm. She was momentarily startled when a snake slithered down the tree, next to her. "Well now, that's not something that happens every day," She said aloud to herself, looking from the snake to the apple she was holding. "What are the odds of that?" The snake looked at her before continuing down the tree. Adriana wasn't afraid of snakes, she was used to them on her property, although this one was significantly larger than she was used to seeing. "Well, off you go, about your business. And don't you eat any of my chickens, or I'll wring your neck!" She called out to the snake as it left her sight.  
  
  
  
A half an hour later, Adriana went inside to check on the baby, who should still have been taking her nap. Walking into Renata's room and over to the crib, she gazed lovingly at her precious daughter. She had Sly the Rinbear at her side, she could never sleep without it. On Renata's other side was a snake, curled up next to her, sleeping. At first Adriana thought it was Renata's stuffed snake from Severus, but soon came to see it was the same one she'd seen earlier. Alarmed, Adriana tried to remain calm as she floated the snake up away from Renata, who continued to sleep peacefully. From where she stood, she opened the window and threw the snake outside, where it hit the ground with a loud thud. Adriana heard the snake hiss angrily as she walked towards the window. As she glared at it, the snake slithered back to the window and stood up on it's tail, at her eye level. It's eyes flashed red, and as it opened its mouth to hiss again, she heard a quiet laugh coming from deep within the snake's belly. This was no ordinary snake, Adriana thought. "Tell Riddle if he wants to talk to me, he should walk his arse over here himself!" She shouted at the snake before slamming the window shut.  
  
  
  
Adriana was shaking by the time she reached Renata's crib. Looking her daughter over carefully, she saw that the snake hadn't done anything to her, but that didn't stop Adriana from picking Renata up and holding her close to her. "Oh my darling, I was so scared!" She said hoarsely, trying to fight back tears. Adriana spent a sleepless night in Renata's room, looking out the window.  
  
  
  
The next day, Adriana's life changed forever. As she opened the back door to go milk the cow, she found a letter on the first step. After bending down to pick it up, Adriana carefully opened it, breaking the green skull and snake wax stamp that held it shut, and was horrified at what she read:  
  
Miss Orendes,  
  
I want to tell you how very much I've been looking forward to finally meeting you. Lucius has told me so much about you, and it has intrigued me. I think you would be a most wonderful addition to my family. Your power, if harnessed correctly, could lead to greatness, and I would be honoured to be the one to help you. With you on my side, together, you and I could rule the world.  
  
  
  
On another note, I must tell you, you have a beautiful daughter. It is girls like her that make me wish I had a daughter of my own. She'll be a very popular girl when she's older. You'll need to make sure she associates with the right people. My family can help you with that.  
  
  
  
I'll be contacting you again soon, so you and your daughter can come and see me. I cannot wait for you to comply, for it would be a shame for such an opportunity as this to pass either of us up.  
  
  
  
Don't worry about sending an answer to me. The look on your face right now is answer enough. Oh, and one last thing: I don't really go by that name anymore. Lord Voldemort, or My Lord should suffice. I'll be seeing you and your lovely daughter, very soon.  
  
-Lord Voldemort  
  
  
  
Adriana dropped the letter out of her hands as though it had bitten her. As it fluttered to the ground, it burst into vibrant green flames and burned away before it hit the porch. Riddle knew where she was. He'd be coming for her, and when she didn't go with him, he'd go after Renata.   
  
  
  
Adriana's heart pounded. Renata wasn't safe here. Adriana could take care of herself against Riddle, but she couldn't take care of them both. In a blind panic, Adriana ran into the baby's room and started throwing all of Renata's things into bags, packing her daughter's life into whatever she could carry.   
  
  
  
Where could she take Renata? Where could she go where Riddle would never find her? Her first thought was to take her to a church. If only she hadn't been excommunicated. Renata needed sanctuary and Adriana knew that there were kind sisters out there who would care for her if Adriana was able to take her to them. But then she was struck with the sudden fear of leaving Renata to people like that, after what had happened to Eleanor, she didn't want that to happen again. She had no family in the Muggle world for Renata to stay with. The closest to a family she had were Albus and Severus. Maybe she could stay at Hogwarts with them. There were many charms set up to keep the school safe. That might be just the place for her. After making up her mind to take Renata there, the horrible thought of leaving her daughter hit her. How could she leave her baby? She couldn't stay at Hogwarts with Renata, Riddle wouldn't stop until he'd found her, she couldn't bring that danger to the school, no matter how well protected it was.  
  
  
  
As Adriana ran to the writing desk in the living room to send a post to Severus, she stopped as she realized that sending an owl was no longer safe. It could be intercepted by Riddle or one of his cronies. How could she get in contact with Sev? She couldn't just show up at the school, she'd heard enough about that Umbridge woman over there; Adriana couldn't be sure she would arrive at the school and not run into her. Besides, there was always the possibility of another encounter with Draco, which she didn't want. If she went to Hogsmeade, it should hopefully be close enough for her to call out to Severus. Then he could meet her there and take Renata back to the school.   
  
  
  
Adriana slowly returned to the baby's room and continued to pack. She put Sly the Rinbear, all of Renata's clothes, and the crystal containing Draco's hair into a bag and zipped it shut. When she came to the adorable blue tam Madam Kapelo had made, Adriana folded it up and put it in her jeans pocket. It was something she wanted to keep with her to always remind her of Renata. After a couple of hours, everything Renata had was packed away into bags. There were far too many for Adriana to carry, so she found an old trunk that she'd used for her own Hogwarts days, and put everything into that.   
  
  
  
It was midday when Adriana was ready to leave for Hogsmeade, yet she couldn't find the strength to go. She sat on the couch with Renata in her arms, rocking her back and forth. Renata looked into her eyes and smiled while Adriana fed her one final time. She wrapped her tiny fingers tightly around Adriana's finger. They sat that way for a long time, locked in one another's gaze, holding on to one another. Adriana wondered if she should try to explain why she had to send Renata away, she was too young to understand, and Adriana wasn't sure she was ready to say the words out loud yet.  
  
  
  
After several more hours of putting off the inevitable, Adriana apparated to Hogsmeade with Renata in her arms, along with the trunk of Renata's belongings. They went to the Three Broomsticks, a friendly pub, found a booth, and sat down. The look on Adriana's face must have been enough to ward off any interruptions, for she was mercifully left alone by the other patrons and servers.   
  
  
  
Opening her mind, Adriana called out to Severus, telling him where she was and imploring him to come as soon as possible. She hoped he'd heard. About a half and hour later, Severus walked into the pub, a look of extreme concern upon his face. Adriana bade him to sit down, took a deep breath, opened her mouth to speak, but found herself beginning to cry instead. Closing her mouth and trying to regain her composure, Adriana spoke into Severus' mind. Besides, it was dangerous to speak of such things aloud in public. "Riddle knows where I live. He's coming after me, and if I don't do what he wants, he'll take Renata."  
  
  
  
Severus looked incredulously at Adriana, "What are you talking about?" He asked quietly.  
  
  
  
Adriana told him of the snake in Renata's crib, the letter and its contents, and how it had burned up when she'd finished reading it. "Normally I wouldn't care about something like that, I mean, I can fight him off, but I can't ensure that Renata won't be unharmed in all of it. It isn't safe for us to be together. I'd rather Riddle find me by myself so I can deal with him. You must take her, Severus. You can hide her at the school, keep her safe," Adriana said, rather quickly.  
  
  
  
Severus looked dumbfounded with all this new information. How had Nagini gotten past their perimeter? Now that the Dark Lord had his eyes set on Adriana, there wasn't much Severus could do to prevent him from finding her, though that wouldn't stop him from trying. "Of course she can stay with me, but you can too. Why not come with us?"  
  
  
  
"He's not going to stop till he finds me. I can't bring that danger to the school. I have to be alone, so nobody else gets hurt." When Adriana saw the concerned look on his face, she added, "It's going to be all right, Severus. I'm not afraid of him, he can't do anything to me."  
  
  
  
Severus knew it was no use arguing with her once she'd made up her mind, especially since she was right. Wherever she was, there would be danger from the Dark Lord. The further away she was from the school, the Order, and her daughter, the better. Severus looked at Renata as she slept in her mother's arms. Could he protect her from such an evil as the Dark Lord? He knew he'd fight to the death to keep Renata safe, but hoped it would never come to that. Silently, he held his arms out to accept Renata.  
  
  
  
Adriana stood up, slowly walked over to Severus, and put Renata in his outstretched arms. Standing before them, she spoke quietly, "I never really understood what the parents during the War felt like, watching their children ride off on trains to the country for their safety. Hoping they'd stay safe from the bombings. Not knowing if they'd ever see them again or not. I never thought I'd have to do the same thing, but hopefully it won't be for long. This war won't be as long, it can't be, I won't let it," Adriana said, putting on a false bravado that she hoped would last until she finally left. Leaning down, Adriana hugged and kissed both of them, and quickly turned away to hide her tears.  
  
  
  
As Adriana walked away from Renata, she heard the baby begin to cry in Severus' arms. It tore her apart to keep walking, but it was for the best, to keep her child safe. As the tears flowed down her face, Adriana sent her daughter a lullaby, the last one she'd sing to Renata for a very long time:  
  
You didn't ask me to be born, you,   
  
Why should you learn of war or pain.   
  
To make sure you're not hurt again,   
  
I swear I'd give my life for you.   
  
I've tasted love beyond all fear,   
  
And you should know it's love that brought you here,   
  
And in one perfect night,   
  
When the stars burned like new,   
  
I knew what I must do.   
  
I'll give you a million things I'll never own.   
  
I'll give you a world to conquer when you're grown.   
  
You will be who you want to be, you,   
  
Can choose whatever heaven grants.   
  
As long as you can have your chance,   
  
I swear I'll give my life for you...   
  
Severus watched Adriana leave, while rocking the baby to calm her down. He was amazed at how quickly Renata fell asleep in his arms. Enchanting the trunk to float behind him, Severus walked with the baby back to Hogwarts.  
  
References: Song is "I'd Give My Life For You", from Miss Saigon. 


	38. The Bore War

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
TavingtonRose: Glad you enjoyed the chapter, here's another one for you to enjoy!  
  
Wicked Lee: That last chapter actually made me cry while writing it, so I understand completely how you feel. This chapter should be a little happier, I hope! Enjoy!  
  
Arsinoe3: I agree that Voldemort needs to be killed! Here's another chapter for you to enjoy!  
  
The Bore War  
  
Lucius's life became a routine of pain, pain, and more pain over the next few months. Whenever he wasn't being subjected to torture, he was sleeping. It was a pitiful existence, and Lucius knew it, though he kept that thought to himself. He'd learned to keep many things to himself, or so he thought. He didn't realize just how much information his master had gleaned from his mind.   
  
The Dark Lord wondered how best to use the knowledge of Adriana, to bring her to him. To the best of that knowledge, Lucius didn't know about her daughter, and there was no proof that the baby was Lucius'. He thought he'd keep that quiet though, perhaps there would be an appropriate time for this to be revealed to Lucius.  
  
Severus had to find a way to bring Renata into the school with nobody noticing the fact that he was carrying a baby and had a huge trunk trailing behind him. Fortunately, when he arrived back at Hogwarts, the students were in the Great Hall eating dinner, so he was able to smuggle her in with nobody catching him. When he arrived at his room, he let the trunk settle to the ground with a soft thud, while he held Renata tightly in his arms. Listening carefully for the first sign of students returning from their meal, he began unpacking Renata's belongings and putting them out on his bed. She sure had a lot of stuff. When he heard voices, Severus went to his door, opened it enough for his head to fit through, and summoned one of them over to him. He sent Pansy Parkinson off to get Albus from the Great Hall for him. Several minutes later, there was a knock on the door and Albus called out to Severus. Slowly opening the door to make sure none of the students could see inside his room, he ushered Albus into the room and quickly shut the door.  
  
  
  
Albus saw Renata lying on the bed, walked over to her, and looked curiously at Severus. "What's going on? Where's Adriana?" Severus explained to Albus everything that Adriana had told him about the Dark Lord, and how she had left the baby in his care. Albus paced around the room while he took all of this in. After a while, Albus left the room and went to Adriana's. He returned later that evening feeling as confident under such circumstances as possible.  
  
  
  
  
  
Albus had gone over to Adriana's property the same evening she'd dropped Renata off with Severus. Severus told Albus everything and he'd immediately apparated over to her house. Albus agreed that the best thing for Renata was to stay hidden, and amazingly enough, he didn't try to convince Adriana that she needed help from the Order. After he left Adriana's house, he walked around her property, looking for the detection devices. As he found the broken pieces of one, he knew that was how Nagini had been able to get inside. Apparating to the Order Headquarters, he found a new device, apparated back to the property, and replaced the broken one. Albus thought Adriana would be relatively safe after this, as long as she didn't do anything stupid.  
  
  
  
Adriana was unable to sleep for the first week after Renata went to Hogwarts. She found herself wandering the house at all hours of the day, always ending up in the baby's room, gazing into the empty crib. During these times, Adriana would take the gray tam out of her pocket, and hold it against her cheek, comfortingly.   
  
  
  
All this waiting was driving Adriana mad. When would Riddle come for her? She wanted to get this over with, so she could bring Renata back home again.  
  
  
  
Several weeks later, during one night when Adriana couldn't sleep, she walked outside. Slowly walking up the hill, and standing under the olive tree, Adriana looked up into the sky. "Riddle, I'm ready for you! Just come to me, you want me to join your side? I'll show you what happens to people who threaten my child! I'll make you regret the day your mother ever brought you into this world!" After her tirade, Adriana was able to sleep peacefully for the rest of the night, and every night after that.  
  
  
  
Renata's first night at Hogwarts was a bit rough, to say the very least. She missed her mother very much and made sure to let Severus know that. He had made some potions to feed Renata, and she didn't like them at all. She was used to drinking her mother's milk, and nothing quite compared. Severus was glad he was able to put silencing charms around his room, for the racket the baby made would surely be heard by the Slytherin students. Sometimes Renata was so loud, he was sure the Gryffindor students would be able to hear it.  
  
  
  
The next morning, after a sleepless night, Severus was wondering how he would be able to go to breakfast without taking Renata with him, when he heard a small knock on the door. Opening it slightly, he saw a house-elf looking up at him. Letting the elf in, he listened as she explained why she was there. "I is Nili, sir, the Headmaster sent me here to look after the baby. He said I is not to tell anybody about the baby, and to keep her safe. I is to look after her when you is in class or eating, sir."   
  
  
  
Severus thought he could kiss Nili, he'd had no idea how he would work out the details of keeping the baby here, and now all of that was solved for him. Though his first instinct told him not to leave the baby alone with a house-elf, Severus knew Albus would have chosen the right elf for the job, and chose to trust his judgment. Severus walked Nili over to where Renata was lying on the bed, crying. Renata's face was red, she was crying in what Severus thought sounded like an angry voice, and no tears were falling. She was clearly throwing a tantrum. Severus whispered to Renata that he had to go eat breakfast, but he'd come back before he had to leave again for his first lesson.  
  
  
  
When Severus sat down in his seat at the professor's table, he thought he might fall asleep in his bowl of porridge. He didn't know how he'd get through the day. He'd never been more tired in his entire life. Severus wondered how many of the other professors knew about Renata; he wasn't sure he wanted all of them to know. Albus and Minerva were members of the Order, so it was all right for them to know, but he didn't want too many other people knowing about the baby.   
  
Renata was still crying when Severus returned to his room. It seemed to be her favourite past time. Nili was ignoring the baby's cries with a tranquility that Severus envied. It wasn't until she ignored his questions for her, that he realized something was not right. Severus walked up to Nili and tapped her on the shoulder, and watched as she jumped and turned around. "Oh, sir, you scared Nili!" She said while taking pieces of cotton out of her large ears. Severus just had time to kiss the baby goodbye before leaving for his first lesson. Renata returned the favour by grabbing a handful of his hair and pulling several out by the roots. He couldn't help but feel very guilty for leaving her for such a long time. Poor girl, with no mother, nobody she knew around.   
  
  
  
Severus' mind was not on his lessons that day. He was constantly worrying about Renata, and hoping she was all right. He was also so tired he could hardly see straight. There were lessons all day long, so he never had a chance to brew himself a reviving potion to wake himself up. His only consolation through the very long day, was taking 10 points from Gryffindor when Potter took too long to bring his potion up to the desk for examination. It's true that he was slowed down by the lumbering Crabbe in front of him, but Severus didn't care, it made him feel better to make Potter feel worse.  
  
  
  
When Severus joined Renata in his room that evening, he sent Nili back to the kitchens for the night. Renata seemed to have exhausted herself from crying all day, and was much more subdued. Severus fed her, and even though she fussed the entire time, Renata was hungry enough to eat the potions he'd made. After carefully burping her with a towel on his shoulder, he held her close to his heart, letting her listen to the sound of it beating. As he gently rocked her, he hummed quietly, while looking down at her as her eyes began to droop. After several minutes, Renata fell asleep in his arms. She was so small and helpless. Severus felt momentarily overwhelmed at the thought of being responsible for her life.   
  
  
  
Their second night was spent much more calmly. Renata woke every few hours for feeding, but slept peacefully in between those times. Breakfast the next morning was much more pleasant. Albus pulled him aside when they were finished eating, and asked him how things were going. He informed Severus that he'd told Minerva what was going on. Minerva joined them and told Severus that she would do all could to help him in taking care of the baby. Severus did think he could use some help looking after Renata. He didn't want her to be cared for by a house-elf all the time. On the nights he had to give Potter his Occlumency lessons, it might do Renata some good to spend time with Albus or Minerva.  
  
  
  
That first weekend together, Severus took Renata into Hogsmeade to do some shopping. She needed a crib, and some proper clothes. He couldn't believe Adriana dressed Renata in such inappropriate clothes: pants and shirts and other such articles of clothing. Severus bought a small collapsible crib and some green blankets for Renata to sleep in at night.  
  
  
  
The next stop was at a clothing store. Severus bought Renata a few dresses, an infant sized robe, two pairs of shoes, a hat-since he couldn't find the little gray tam, and some headbands. Now he'd be able to dress her like a girl, as she should be dressed. Whenever anybody asked who she was, Severus told them Renata was his niece visiting for the week. He couldn't be too sure who was safe and who was not and wanted to err on the side of caution.  
  
  
  
After a week, Renata seemed to have grown accustomed to living with Severus, he began to wonder if she missed her mum still, or not. She'd cry whenever he left the room for a meal or a lesson, it made him feel terrible to have to leave, but he had no choice. Whenever he returned to the room, his first action was to pick up the baby and give her a big kiss. Severus loved feeding her, there was a peacefulness between them as they looked at one another in silence. His favourite thing to do was to lay down on his bed, with the baby lying on his chest. Sometimes both of them fell asleep that way.   
  
  
  
Renata had grown bigger, after a whole month passed. She liked to make sounds that Severus could listen to all day. He, however, did not find them quite as enjoyable at two in the morning. Renata seemed to be quite the night owl, amusing herself in the dark with the sound of her own voice.  
  
  
  
One evening after an early dinner, Severus dressed Renata up for an evening with Minerva. He had Occlumency lessons with Potter, which he hated, but couldn't get out of, and she would be babysitting Renata. As all the other students were eating in the Great Hall, it was safe to take her out of his room, and up to Minerva's classroom. After knocking on the door and waiting for a minute, Minerva opened the door, and smiled at the baby. Minerva's smile disappeared and her brow furrowed as she saw what the baby was wearing. Renata was dressed in an emerald green dress, with ruffles, lace, and puffed sleeves. She had a little green headband with a silver ribbon on the top pulling back what little hair she had. She also wore her black robes, and patent leather Mary Jane shoes. "Oh, my, Severus, she looks just like a china doll!" Scrunching her nose, Minerva held her arms out for Severus to put Renata in.  
  
  
  
Minerva held Renata while she packed up her things from the day, to take back to her office. She had her arms full while she carefully walked to her office. Not only was she carrying the baby and a heavy bag of the baby's things, but also a large stack of books. She'd gotten to the door and was struggling to open it, when the books tumbled out of her arms all of a sudden. This startled Renata, who began to cry. Trying to make it into her office where she could set everything and everybody down, she saw a student walking past her. Calling out to him, the boy reluctantly walked over to her. Without even looking, she shoved Renata into his arms and told him to follow her.   
  
  
  
As McGonagall took out all the contents of the baby's bags and placed them on her desk, the boy continued to hold Renata. Renata was screaming, her whole body shaking in the process. It wasn't the type of cry that told a person she was hungry or needed a dry nappy, this was an anguished cry that told the entire world she was lonely and needed somebody familiar to hug her. The boy didn't seem too keen on holding this screaming baby, but didn't say anything. Perhaps he didn't want his house to lose any points.   
  
  
  
Renata opened her eyes after a minute of crying and looked into his. She stared intensely at him, her little brow furrowed as though deep in thought. The boy looked at her and was amazed at what he saw. Renata stopped crying and reached her tiny hand out to brush the boy's cheek. He looked like somebody she knew, but who? She felt safe in his arms. He had the exact same gray eyes she had, and the identical shade of silver-blonde hair. He looked just like the man she'd visited in his dream. It was like looking into a picture of herself in several years.   
  
  
  
McGonagall looked up after a few minutes to take Renata back and saw Draco Malfoy standing in front of her holding the baby. Her eyes opened wide with horror as he held his sister, unbeknownst to him. Why hadn't she looked to see who she'd handed the baby to first? Walking up to Draco, she ripped Renata out of his arms and sent him on his way, back to his house, telling him Professor Snape would be coming along shortly to speak with him.  
  
  
  
Draco looked startled as the baby was taken away from him so suddenly. McGonagall couldn't believe she'd done something so stupid! Severus was going to kill her! After Draco had gone, she stood rocking Renata, waiting for Severus to return, which should not be very long from now.   
  
  
  
Severus safely returned Renata to his room before entering the Slytherin common room. As angry as he was, he had known it had only been a matter of time before something like this happened. What was he going to say to Draco? Please don't tell anybody that the half-sister you never knew about is now living in my bedroom? Especially the baby's father, because he doesn't know she exists? And don't tell the Dark Lord, because he's coming after her to get to her mother? And don't tell your mother, the shock would kill her? Somehow that didn't sound very good. He thought about a memory charm, but that didn't seem to be a very good solution either. Severus needed to talk to Draco, he deserved to have at least one adult in his life who spoke to him as the young man he was. This was a lot to take in, but Severus felt Draco did have the right to know about the existence of his sister, and the significance of keeping this very important secret.  
  
  
  
Severus walked over to Draco, who was in the middle of writing something, and asked him to come to his office with him. After setting up a few silencing spells, the very same ones he used on Draco's sister, he spoke to Draco. Severus told him of the importance of keeping this quiet, and how he should under no circumstances tell his father about this. He could see the wheels in Draco's head turning as he realized Lucius didn't know he was a father for the second time. Severus was firm in his insistence on keeping this quiet, and he was both relieved and proud of Draco for agreeing to help him. He had the potential to be a good man someday, with the right help.  
  
  
  
Later that evening, Severus sat in his room, massaging his temples, while listening to Renata's crooning. She loved to sing, and seemed to know when he needed to hear her sweet voice most. After a few minutes, Severus looked over at Renata, smiled, and spoke, "That's my sweet Renata, you don't have a care in the world, do you?" Renata stopped babbling, smiled at Severus, and blew him a few spit bubbles in response. That night, Severus held Renata against his chest, with his strong arms held protectively around her, while sitting in his chair. They drifted off to sleep, content with one another's love.  
  
Historical Note: The chapter title, The Bore War, refers to the time period between September 1939, and May 1940, when the Second World War had begun, yet the fighting had not. Britain prepared for a tough fight, issuing gas masks, and evactuating children from the major cities to escape the bombings that never came. It was a tense period of waiting, and I thought that was appropriate for what's happening in the story right now. 


	39. Reflection

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Wicked Lee: I'm so glad that you're still enjoying this story. It's getting close to the end and I'm excited that you're still finding things you like about it! This chapter is pretty dark, so be warned.  
  
TavingtonRose: I'm glad you liked the last chapter, here's another one, it's pretty dark, so be warned.  
  
Arsinoe: Severus is very old fashioned when it comes to child rearing, I agree. Draco's reaction to Renata won't be explored in this story, but my friend ElfFlame is writing the 4th part of this series, entitled, Draco's Tears. It tells his part of this story, and will go more into detail with his relationship with his sister. She'll be posting it soon, so keep an eye out for it!  
  
Year 5  
  
Book 6  
  
Reflection  
  
Notes: This chapter is very dark, with disturbing images and violence. Also, now that this has moved beyond where the books are, this story has entered the realm of speculation, and has theories that ElfFlame and I have about where the rest of the books may lead.  
  
Lucius lay on the floor of his Azkaban prison cell. The cold stone floor had become his bed over the past month since his imprisonment. The cell was so small, he was unable to stand up fully, and was forced to stay lying on the ground. He was engulfed in darkness, for his master had made sure he was put in a special cell with no windows, and no sources of light. There were no pieces of furniture, and the only toilet he had was a hole in the floor. His thin prison garb did nothing to block the cold air from hitting his skin and causing him to shiver.   
  
  
  
He was fed once a day: a cup of water, and a bowl of thin soup made of water and onions. There were pieces of things Lucius couldn't identify in the soup, he suspected it was maggots, but ate it all anyway. He'd quickly learned that his hunger wouldn't be sated by picky eating. One time, Lucius caught a rat while it was sinking it's teeth into his arm. His cell was overrun with rats, and the sounds they made and the feel of them crawling over his body kept him awake at night. His hunger was so great, he didn't think about it when he broke the rat's neck and quickly ate it. It was raw, for he had no cooking fire, but Lucius didn't care. He ate everything but the tail, because it kept getting stuck in his throat and his gagging threatened to bring the rest of his precious meal up again. He never thought he would be capable of such things, but his instincts were strong and would not accept anything less than survival.   
  
  
  
The dementors had left Azkaban, but that didn't stop Lucius from feeling like all the happiness that he'd ever felt in his life, had been sapped from his body. The physical torture he'd been subjected to in the past, paled in comparison to the hell he was putting himself through, thinking about what had become of his life over the past couple of months.  
  
  
  
Lucius' days and nights were filled with thoughts about how he'd ended up in Azkaban. The break-in at the Ministry of Magic had been meticulously planned for all possibilities, yet things had still managed to go horribly awry. He'd led his Death Eaters into the room filled with prophecies, where they'd waited for Potter to arrive. Unfortunately, Potter had arrived with a gaggle of his school friends who'd created a few snags in the plan. Lucius was unsuccessful in persuading Potter to hand over the prophecy. Running, chasing, and a game of keep away from the Death Eaters had ensued. The children had obviously learned some powerful defensive spells and had been able to put up a worthy fight, though the Death Eaters got in a few good blows of their own.   
  
  
  
Things were looking good for the Death Eaters, until the reinforcements arrived. Dumbledore, Moody, and other members of the Order of the Phoenix, showed up to help even the odds. The only bright moment in the entire fiasco was watching Bella kill Black, her idiotic cousin.   
  
  
  
The worst moment came when that Potter prat let the prophecy fall. It had broken, destroying any chance of Lucius' redemption in his master's eyes. The broken prophecy had been the last nail in Lucius' coffin, for the Dark Lord had warned him that this was his final chance to prove himself. If he failed this, his master would no longer show restraint or mercy for him. Lucius's stomach was tied in knots and he began to panic as he realized the Dark Lord would most likely kill him for this failure. He didn't know that the Dark Lord had different plans for him.  
  
  
  
  
  
Lord Voldemort had been forced to enter the Ministry of Magic himself that night to bail his pitiful Death Eaters out. The only one who'd been able to return to his side had been Bella, who'd done a very good job groveling before him. He'd taken her back with him, leaving the other failures to be arrested by Fudge and put in Azkaban prison. The Dark Lord felt that some time in prison might teach his Death Eaters a lesson in failing him. He'd made special arrangements for Lucius with Fudge. Lucius was to be kept in solitary confinement, deep within the bowels of the prison. He was to receive no more than starvation rations, in order to break him down. The Dark Lord needed Lucius to be as broken as possible for his plans to ensnare Adriana.   
  
  
  
He'd left Adriana alone for the past few months, letting her put her child into hiding, allowing her to grow tired and anxious. Adriana's nerves would be frazzled and perhaps her attitude towards joining his side would be vastly improved. Especially if she saw how it could save her beloved Lucius' life.  
  
  
  
The Dark Lord had formed what he felt was a brilliant plan in order to both draw Adriana to his side and move his headquarters to a more centrally located home. He'd made other arrangements with Fudge to have Lucius' family evicted from Malfoy Manor, so that he and his Death Eaters could take over the space. Through his research, the Dark Lord had also found out that Narcissa and Adriana had somewhat of a tentative friendship with one another. He found that a most fascinating and helpful detail that he might be able to use to his advantage some day.  
  
  
  
Lucius found his thoughts turning more and more to Adriana during his dark days in Azkaban. Her beautiful face was the only thing that kept him going. It was a scary moment for Lucius when he realized that he was still in love with Adriana. He wanted to be with her, he didn't care if she was a Mudblood, she was a better person than he and any other Death Eater was. It was inevitable that the Dark Lord was probably going to torture him to death, so there was nothing to be lost by admitting his love for Adriana.   
  
  
  
Lucius thought about the life he'd had with Adriana. He'd been happy, content, and had come to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, like helping bring in the apple harvest, or making love to Adriana in the hay loft. Those memories brought a smile to his face. He wanted to go back to that. He wanted to have that life again.   
  
  
  
He wondered if Adriana would have taken him back if he hadn't failed his master. If he could escape from the Dark Lord, and return to Adriana, would she have him? His words and actions had been unforgivable that day. An image of her pain-filled face came to his mind. He'd been a bastard to her. Even if the Dark Lord allowed him to live, he doubted that Adriana would deem him worthy of coming back to her.  
  
  
  
Lucius thought about the little girl he'd seen in his dream a year ago. Maybe it had been a vision of the child he and Adriana would have had if he'd stayed with her instead of rejoining the Dark Lord. He wanted that child in his life, but knew it was just a dream. Perhaps, in another life, Adriana would allow him back in her life, and they could have a child together. Some days, it was that fantasy that helped him make it through the day.  
  
  
  
One night, when Lucius was able to sleep, he had another dream about that girl. The little girl was younger than he'd seen in his first dream, about a year old. She had wispy silver-blonde hair that was held back by a green headband with a silver bow. She was being held in Draco's arms. Draco was smiling and laughing at the baby. This happy vision was shattered as Snape entered the picture. He put his arm about Draco, bent down and kissed the baby, and after a minute, they walked away, out of Lucius' sight. Lucius woke up with a start, and was unable to sleep after that.  
  
  
  
Lucius' dreams were very vivid in Azkaban, and most were not sweet. Another night, Lucius dreamt of Adriana. They had been dancing at the New Year's Masque before returning to her house. They'd made love until the sun rose the next morning. He could feel her body in his hands, her soft skin, her smooth hair. He could feel his lips pressed against her lips, her breasts, her thighs. As they parted from one another, and rose for the day, they left the room. As Adriana was walking to the living room, the front door flew open and Snape barged into the house. He demanded that she choose between himself and Lucius. Adriana looked shocked and glanced back and forth between the two men. Adriana approached Lucius, grabbed his arm, and pushed him outside onto the porch. Once there, she shoved him hard and he fell down the stairs, landing on his backside, to stare in horror up at her. She glared at him, then turned without speaking, returned to the house, and slammed the door.  
  
  
  
These dreams tortured Lucius more than anything the Dark Lord or the Death Eaters had done to him. Then one day, something happened that made him wonder if that statement was true or not.  
  
  
  
The door to Lucius' prison cell opened shortly after his food had arrived. This startled him, for it had never happened before. A figure stood in the doorway, though Lucius could only see a silhouette. "Get up!" A gruff voice called out to him. Lucius put his hands on the floor and pushed himself up. Coming to a crouch, he shuffled slowly out of the room that had been his home for the past month. Standing up fully as he approached the doorway, he took a step, before collapsing to the floor. He felt tremendous pain as his cheekbone struck against the hard stone with a loud crunching noise. Lucius was too weak to lift himself up again, and felt the man's hands being placed on his shoulders and pulling him up off the ground. "Stand up! I'm not going to carry you, you will either walk or crawl out of here!" Lucius was in the light enough to see the ugly face of Pettigrew snarling at him.  
  
  
  
Lucius put a hand on his cheek, his head throbbed. There was no way he was able to walk. He had no other choice but to crawl. A sense of shame and humiliation washed over Lucius as he lowered his hand to the ground, and slowly began to crawl away from his cell.   
  
  
  
As Pettigrew walked behind him, he kicked Lucius in the kidneys at intervals. Every few steps, another swift jab to his back would send pain flooding through his body. After awhile, Pettigrew grew bored of kicking and took out a whip he'd brought with him, and began to lash Lucius with every step.   
  
  
  
Finally, they reached the stairs. Lucius looked up and saw that they went on almost forever. Sighing, and biting his quivering lip, Lucius put one hand in front of the other, and began the long ascent. By the time he'd finally reached the top of the stairs, Lucius wondered if he had any flesh on his back left to whip. The crawling and whipping continued until they'd left the prison altogether and Pettigrew apparated both of them back to Malfoy Manor.  
  
  
  
Lucius couldn't have been more shocked to find himself in his bedroom. What was happening? Where was Narcissa? Why were they here? He was left alone with these questions for a few minutes before the Dark Lord entered the room. Lucius was on the floor, lying on his stomach, trying to gather what little strength he had for whatever might happen to him. He wanted to pull himself up on his hands, to look at the Dark Lord. If he was going to kill Lucius, Lucius would meet death with his eyes wide open, looking it in the face.   
  
  
  
The Dark Lord did not say the words, "Avada Kedavra," instead bent down to look Lucius in the face. "Lucius, you're not looking so well today. What's the matter? You let Pettigrew beat you while you were down? That's not like you!" The Dark Lord laughed sadistically at Lucius. Lucius didn't have a good feeling about this and wondered if death might not be a better thing for him than what was surely in store for him. The Dark Lord gave him the promise that by the time he was finished with him, Lucius would be begging him to kill him in order to end the pain.  
  
  
  
The torture began in earnest the next morning. The Death Eaters who were on duty that day participated in it. This made all the pain he'd endured from the Dark Lord before this point pale in comparison. Days turned into weeks, though Lucius could no longer tell the passage of time. He was in a stupor for most of it. The Dark Lord and the other Death Eaters liked to torture Lucius until he was on the brink of death, then heal him halfway. This would be repeated on a daily basis, until Lucius' mind faded away, fleeing from his body, allowing him to endure the pain for another day.   
  
  
  
Lucius was fed a cup of water and some thin gruel every few days, just to keep him alive enough to continue the torture. The Dark Lord wanted him to be barely alive for Adriana, and that wouldn't have taken more than a day or so to do, but then he and his Death Eaters would have missed out on all this fun.  
  
  
  
During the times when he could open his eyes, Lucius always looked towards the nightstand next to his bed. The painting and photograph of Adriana that she'd given him for Christmas a few years ago still stood there. He hadn't gotten rid of them, despite thinking he hadn't wanted her in his life any longer. Her face helped him survive. Her images helped fill him with hope and a sense of peace, even as the beatings and pain continued so strongly. He would live to see her again. They would be together again...some day. 


	40. The Calm Before the Storm

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Wicked Lee: These chapters are getting much darker and harder to write, so it's good to hear that it made you emotional, it means I'm doing this right! As this chapter's title probably tells you, the next chapter is a doozy, so enjoy this respite while you can!  
  
TavingtonRose: I'm glad you're still enjoying the story even though it's getting pretty dark, and will continue to do so for a little while longer. Here's another chapter for you to enjoy!  
  
The Calm Before The Storm  
  
Adriana began to wonder if Riddle had forgotten about her. It was now June and nothing had happened yet. She was going stir crazy on the property. She had very little communication with Severus for things were not going so well at Hogwarts at this time. Albus had "disappeared" from the school, and several of the teachers had been dismissed by Umbridge, who had effectively taken over Hogwarts.   
  
  
  
Adriana hoped Renata was still being kept safe from harm up there, amidst all the turmoil. She wasn't too afraid for Albus, for he was quite capable of looking after himself. Besides, she had the feeling that he might not be too far from the school, if he was even outside of it at all.   
  
  
  
Adriana learned second or third-hand from Alastor about the goings-on at Hogwarts. He was spending as much time with her as possible; keeping her company during this time. He acted as a post carrier for her, seeing as she could no longer send Hitchcock out for deliveries. He was a wonderful go-between for her, keeping her informed about Renata's latest developments or how Severus was doing under the strain of Umbridge.   
  
  
  
Alastor was normally hard-headed, but now he was being really kind to Adriana. Alastor loved being allowed on the property, where he could keep a close eye on her. If any Death Eater tried anything against Adriana, he'd be there. They enjoyed bantering with one another. One afternoon, Alastor and Adriana sat on the porch sipping lemonade, discussing the impending war with Voldemort. Adriana explained to Alastor how he, Albus, and the other Order members would have to go outside of the Ministry to fight. She'd always hated Fudge, and perhaps that's why she felt he was being controlled by Voldemort already. "Don't you see? All of the things the Ministry is doing is just to keep up appearances. Do as little as they can to appease the masses, that way Riddle and the Death Eaters can take over as much of the Wizarding World as they can without anybody realizing it. And once the public does figure it out, the damage has been done, and it's far too late," Adriana said.  
  
  
  
Alastor had always been a somewhat paranoid man, and found this theory much to his liking. Smiling, he replied, "Well, Addie, you may be onto something." Alastor slapped his knee excitedly, "I like it! I never liked that Fudge guy either. When all this is over, we need a new Minister." Both Adriana and Alastor agreed that Albus would make a much better Minister than Fudge.   
  
  
  
A few weeks later, Adriana was expecting Alastor to visit for the day, but he never showed up. This concerned her, for Alastor wasn't the type to forget something like coming over to the property. She had no idea what had happened, for she didn't receive the Daily Prophet, and nobody in the Order came to speak to her. Several days later, Albus arrived at her house. Adriana was shocked, wasn't he still missing? Apparently not.   
  
  
  
Albus explained to her everything that had happened a few days before. The Order had helped stop a break in at the Ministry of Magic. The Death Eaters, headed by Lucius, had tried to take a prophecy that would've aided Voldemort in his rise to power. Thankfully it had been unsuccessful, though not without at least one casualty. Albus took a deep breath, and paused before slowly explaining how Lucius and the Death Eaters were now in Azkaban prison.  
  
  
  
Adriana's heart pounded. "Azkaban? Isn't that where all the dementors are? I haven't heard good things about those," She asked, her throat dry and raspy.  
  
  
  
"The dementors have left Azkaban and gone to Voldemort's side," Albus replied, "The war has begun."  
  
  
  
Adriana's hands twisted in her lap. Why would Riddle want his people to go to prison? He couldn't use them if they were there. What had Lucius gotten himself into? Even though he'd left her, she found herself very concerned for Lucius' well being. Ever since Renata had gone to stay with Severus, Adriana had found her thoughts turning more and more to Lucius. She'd been able to focus on the baby so much, she'd almost forgotten how much she loved and missed him still.   
  
  
  
Albus could see what Adriana was thinking and decided to start this off right, "Now Adriana, I must ask you not to go to Azkaban. It isn't safe there. Voldemort's coming after you, and that is one place he can easily get to."  
  
  
  
"Of course not," Adriana said quickly, standing up and pacing the kitchen floor.  
  
  
  
"Now, that needs to be an 'of course not' I'm really not thinking about it, not an 'of course not' but I'm really planning on going there in the back of my mind. All right?"  
  
  
  
Adriana glared at Albus, "Yes, I'll stay away from there!"  
  
  
  
"Good!" Albus wondered how long that would last, and when he would hear about her sneaking off to the prison.  
  
  
  
"So, when do I get to come visit my daughter?" Adriana asked, changing the subject.  
  
  
  
"Well, the students have all gone home for the holiday, so you can come up for a weekend sometime, whenever you want."  
  
  
  
Adriana's lip began to quiver, "Only a weekend? I can only see her for two days?"  
  
  
  
"Adriana," Albus said, sounding exasperated, "You know it's for the best. Even during the holidays, you can't be together for too long, it's too risky."  
  
  
  
"I know," Adriana said, composing herself, "I just miss her so much. I'll be all right. It's ok."   
  
  
  
Albus sighed and gave Adriana a hug. He'd forgotten to put his kid gloves on before coming over to her house. "Why don't you come up in a few weeks. Severus is staying there this year, it's not safe for too many people to be over here, so I insisted he stay at Hogwarts."   
  
  
  
Adriana hated being reminded of what a danger she was to others now that Riddle was interested in her. "Thanks, I'd almost forgotten about being a danger to everybody I know, and even those I don't know! But that's really sweet of you to remind me!"  
  
  
  
Albus knew it was time for him to leave, Adriana was being impossible right now. He told her he'd be in contact with her closer to when she came to visit, to work out all the details.   
  
  
  
The weeks passed slowly as Adriana anticipated going to Hogwarts. Albus told her, via Alastor, that she was free to come the next weekend to visit Renata. Adriana packed a couple of bags with clothes and things she wanted to take with her.  
  
  
  
On Friday afternoon, Adriana apparated to Hogsmeade, then walked up to the school. Severus was waiting with Renata in Albus' office for her. Adriana saw Renata for the first time in four months, and burst into tears. Severus put the baby in her arms, and Adriana hugged her tightly. Renata struggled in her mother's arms, began to shriek, and reached out for Severus to take her back. As she settled back into Severus' arms, Renata hid her face in his shoulder. Adriana felt sick to her stomach as she realized her daughter didn't know who she was. She was no more than a common stranger to Renata.   
  
  
  
Adriana didn't want them to see her making a scene, and rushed out of the room, before sitting down on the stairs, burying her head on her knees, and weeping her heart out. Severus felt terrible, handed the baby to Albus, and followed after Adriana. Sitting down on the step next to her, he put his arms around her and hugged her comfortingly. "Just give her a little time, she'll warm up to you, she's a very loving girl," Severus said.  
  
  
  
"You know my daughter better than I do!" Adriana said, her face still buried in her knees.  
  
  
  
"We had no other choice. When the threat is gone, she'll come back to you, and you can get to know her again," Severus said, trying not to think about when that day might come.  
  
  
  
Adriana went back into the office, and let Renata watch her for a while before approaching her again. Renata looked at her mother warily before allowing her to touch her again. She wouldn't allow Adriana to pick her up, always needing to be in Severus' arms when they were together.   
  
  
  
That evening, after Renata had fallen asleep, Severus placed her in Adriana's arms, so she could finally hold her daughter without protest. Adriana couldn't get over how much bigger she was, she had to be three times the size she remembered her being. Renata could sit up by herself and was crawling now. She babbled endlessly to Severus as they played peek-a-boo together. Adriana had seen all of this that afternoon. Renata was clearly enamored with Severus, and he with her. She felt very much an outsider in this group.  
  
  
  
Adriana held Renata for quite awhile before setting her down in her crib. Severus took her hand and gently led her out of the room so they could talk without waking the baby. Adriana had never been in the Slytherin common room before this visit, but made herself at home. She lay down on a green couch, staring at the ceiling, while Severus sat on a chair across from her, trying to think of things to say to her.   
  
  
  
"When do you think Riddle will finally come for me?" Adriana asked, breaking the silence. "You used to be one of them. What's he like? Where do you think he is?"  
  
  
  
"Well, the Dark Lord wants you at your most vulnerable point, so he's breaking you down right now. He's making you wait, driving you crazy, so you'll be more open to him when he finally does come for you. He's a purely evil man with no pity for anybody in his heart. He's very selfish and self-centred. And there's no way in hell I'm going to tell you where he is, so don't even bother asking," Severus smiled grimly at Adriana. "Does that answer your questions?"  
  
  
  
"Yes, thank you," Adriana sighed. "So, you do know where he is?"  
  
  
  
"Yes."  
  
  
  
"And you're not going to tell me?"  
  
  
  
"You'd only try to go after him, so no I won't."   
  
  
  
"You suck, you know."  
  
  
  
"I know, but thanks for reminding me."  
  
  
  
Adriana smiled and sat up from the couch. Standing up and looking around the room, she asked Severus, "Which room was his?"  
  
  
  
"Do you want me to show you?" He asked.  
  
  
  
"Please?"  
  
  
  
Severus silently stood up from the chair, took Adriana by the hand, and led her into the boy's dormitories. He took her to a room that was larger than she remembered the Gryffindor rooms being, but had five typical four poster beds set up at intervals. Severus went inside before Adriana and lit a lamp.  
  
  
  
Adriana walked inside, feeling ghosts of the past all around her. "Which bed was his? Do you remember?" She asked. Severus told her that the house-elves changed the beds around each year, so his bed might not even be here, so Adriana walked to each one and put her hands around one of the posts. None of them felt to her as though Lucius had spent many of his Hogwarts nights in them. But as she walked around one of the headboards, she noticed something in the lower left-hand corner of the room. Walking over to the wall and kneeling down, she saw small letters scratched into the wood. "LM," they said. Adriana's heart fluttered as she traced a fingertip over the initials. Further exploration revealed more initials a short distance from the first set. "DM," and "JM," she read. Adriana sat down on the floor, with her back against the wall. She felt closer to Lucius being so near where Lucius had spent so much time in his youth. Severus told her he was going to check on Renata, but she was welcome to stay here as long as she wanted.   
  
  
  
Adriana leaned her head against the wall, closed her eyes, and listened to the stories the ghosts of Slytherin past told her. Slowly opening her eyes, her gaze fell on the closest bed, which was only a couple of feet away from her. On the lower left-hand leg of the bed, she saw yet more initials, "TMR," Adriana whispered to herself, "Riddle," and jumped as the letters flashed at her in bright red light. Adriana looked around the room, was he watching her? No, she decided, it must be energy left over from when Riddle carved his initials in the bed. Still a little unsettled, Adriana stood up, and quickly left the room.  
  
  
  
Severus was waiting for Adriana back in the common room, when she arrived. He'd set up a wizard's chess set, and hoped she'd play a game or two with him. Adriana knew how to play, but had never been very good at it, but agreed to play anyway. After an hour of playing, Severus had beaten her three times.   
  
  
  
Seeing Adriana yawn, Severus insisted it was bedtime. He told Adriana that she was to sleep in his bed, so she could be closer to Renata. Adriana thanked Severus profusely while simultaneously insisting that they share the bed. Severus reluctantly followed her into his room. Adriana opened one of her bags and took out a red silk nightgown that barely went past mid-thigh. As she began taking her clothes off, Severus blushed, and turned around, to give her some privacy.   
  
  
  
After a minute or so, Adriana got into bed and patted the space next to her for Severus to join her. Severus gazed at Adriana as she waited for him. For some reason, seeing her with clothes on, albeit very little clothes, was sexier than seeing her naked. He imagined slowly taking them off of her. His heart began to pound as the blood began to rush from his head and move further down his body. Severus didn't want to start this again, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to stop this time. Grabbing a blanket from a nearby chair, he told Adriana it was better if he slept on the couch after all, and wished her a goodnight before leaving quickly. Adriana fell asleep that night wondering what was wrong with Severus.  
  
  
  
By the next morning, Renata was much more receptive to her mother. She allowed Adriana to hold her and give her her morning potion. Adriana's milk had dried up long ago, so she couldn't breast feed her during the visit. Renata allowed Adriana to carry her outside onto the school grounds, with Severus trailing closely behind them.  
  
  
  
They spent the entire day outside, having taken a picnic lunch with them. Renata crawled around the Quidditch pitch as Severus and Adriana sat on a blanket, eating strawberries and cold fried chicken. They discussed the adorable things Renata was doing with each passing day. They watched as Renata continued to crawl away from them. Severus called out to her and she turned around to look at him. Realizing how far away she was from him, Renata began to wail. Severus stood up, ran over to her, and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her back to the blanket. Renata sat in his lap, playing with Severus' hands as he continued to talk to Adriana.  
  
  
  
Severus told Adriana about the time he took Renata over to see Madam Pomfrey one evening when the baby wouldn't stop crying. He'd tried everything he could think of, but she cried for four hours straight. Gathering her up in a blanket, he smuggled her outside his room and up to Poppy. Severus smiled and shook his head as he recalled how within minutes, Renata had stopped crying after Poppy had taken the baby's socks off. It seemed that she had outgrown them and they were far too tight for her comfort. Renata had rewarded Poppy with a squeal and a smile that made her a new favourite among the many patients Poppy had tended to over the years, or so she'd told Severus.  
  
  
  
Adriana delighted in hearing these precious stories. They would come to mean far much more to her than she could ever possibly realize at that moment.   
  
  
  
The rest of the weekend passed much too quickly for Adriana, and soon she had pack her bags, say a tearful farewell to her daughter and friends. As soon as she'd left the school grounds, Adriana apparated back to her property, feeling sad and empty.   
  
  
  
It took quite a while before Adriana felt better again. The sleepless nights returned, and she found herself wandering aimlessly around the house once again. Adriana felt completely cut off from all the people she cared about. Why was she being held in such confinement, when she hadn't done anything wrong?   
  
  
  
The only bright moment over the next couple of months, came one morning in early September. An eagle owl from Malfoy Manor came to her property bearing a letter from Narcissa. Reading it, Adriana saw that she was invited to tea at the manor that afternoon. It had been such a long time since she'd seen Narcissa, and she wanted to see how she was doing with all of the latest developments with Lucius. Quickly writing a response, she attached it to the owl, and watched as it flew away.  
  
  
  
Adriana spent the rest of the day looking forward to an afternoon away from the property. She changed into a simple white skirt and matching tank top. Walking outside, Adriana picked a bouquet of flowers as a gift for Narcissa, to thank her for the invitation. When she was ready, Adriana apparated to Malfoy Manor.  
  
  
  
Calling at the gate, a house-elf went to get Narcissa. After several minutes, the gate opened, and Adriana walked inside. There was a long walk before she reached the front steps to the manor. Adriana walked up the stairs and approached the front door. After knocking, she stood for several minutes, waiting to be let in. As she heard the door knob turn, Adriana looked up to watch the door open... 


	41. Walking Through the Valley of Shadow

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Arsinoe 3: That was quite the cliffhanger, I will agree! Here's the second half of it, and be prepared, this is the darkest chapter of the entire story. I've worked on this chapter for over a month now to be just what it should be, and it's not exactly pleasant, sorry.  
  
Wicked Lee: Well the moment has finally arrived to see what happens! I will warn you this is not an easy chapter to read, it was very difficult to write, so proceed with caution.  
  
Walking Through the Valley of Shadow  
  
Warning: This chapter is extremely dark. There are elements of bad language, physical violence, torture, and sexual assault. Be warned that it is not a chapter for the faint of heart.  
  
  
  
There were two men at the door, towering above Adriana, as the door opened fully. She had never met these men before, though they seemed familiar to her. Both were brutish looking: ape-like in their mannerisms, and appearance. One of the mono-browed men sported a soup tureen hair cut that sparked a memory. The two boys with Draco Malfoy the day she'd gone to Hogwarts had looked like smaller, younger versions of these men. These must be their fathers. Adriana didn't have a good feeling about this. What was going on here?  
  
  
  
"Good afternoon, Miss Orendes, won't you come inside?" The man with the soup tureen hair cut said, reaching his meaty hand out to take her by the arm and lead her inside.   
  
  
  
"Yes, we've been looking forward to meeting you finally," The other man said, grabbing at Adriana from the other side.  
  
  
  
Adriana didn't want either of these men touching her. Turning herself invisible, she tried to pull her arms out of their grips. When that didn't work, Adriana sent a painful shock into their hands, but Riddle must have given them some blocking spell to use. Frustrated, Adriana pulled hard on both her arms, which caused the men to be pulled forward, and their heads knocked together with a loud crack. After letting go of Adriana, she was able to fly up above them and into the manor. She didn't know where Narcissa was, but Adriana knew Riddle had to be here. What was he doing here? Why was he in Lucius' home? This was his plan, his trap for her, and she'd fallen for it. "Clever man," Adriana thought to herself.  
  
  
  
Flying around the bottom floor of the manor, Adriana looked around for any signs of Riddle, while watching with amusement at the reactions of the two men at the door, at the same time. They had incredulous looks on their faces as they stood in the doorway looking outside to see where she had gone. There was a bowl of waxed fruit on a table in the main hallway. Adriana picked up two wax apples, and threw them at the backs of the men's heads. As the apples made contact, they spun around quickly, trying to see where they had come from, but Adriana had fled the scene before she could see what happened after that.  
  
  
  
As Adriana flew about the rooms, she spoke. "Riddle," Adriana called out to his mind, "Riddle, I want a word with you."  
  
  
  
In the main parlour, Voldemort sat in a chair by the fire. He was startled to hear a voice speaking to him from seemingly nowhere. Voldemort had never felt such an invasion in his mind before. "It's you, isn't it. I'm glad you took up Narcissa's invitation to come and visit me today. Show yourself," He said aloud, looking around for where the voice was coming from.  
  
  
  
From out of nowhere, Adriana appeared in front of him. "I think you have something of mine that I'd like returned. I've come to collect it," Adriana said while never opening her mouth, looking Voldemort in the face for the first time. "Really Riddle, time has not been kind to you," She said, wrinkling her nose as she studied him. His snake-like face was gruesome and unattractive, it fit his personality perfectly.  
  
  
  
"Something of yours you say? I don't think I know what you're talking about," Voldemort spoke, taking a step towards her. "But you have something that I would like. Perhaps we can negotiate some sort of exchange," Voldemort said, taking another step towards her. Voldemort looked at Adriana. He couldn't get a read on her at all, which should have been impossible. "I've heard so much about you from Lucius, although he's been reluctant to introduce us. I'm glad you've come here of your own volition, albeit under false pretenses," Voldemort reached his hand out to see if he could touch her and was pleased when he was able to grab her by the elbow and pull her towards him. Grabbing her chin with his other hand and pulling her face to within an inch of his, he squeezed her tightly, until he was just short of snapping her jaw. "You don't look like that much of a threat, girl. Yet I've heard about what you're capable of doing. I think you'd do well on my side of this war, and you ought to consider it, especially in light of the...other option," Voldemort hissed at her. Moving his hand from her elbow to her breast, he squeezed it tightly, hoping to hear her cry out in pain.   
  
  
  
"Yes, and what is the other option, you impotent fool?" Was the cheeky response he got from her. Adriana had to stay calm and not fight back, it was taking a very long time to read his mind to find out where Lucius was. If Riddle was here, and wanted her to join his side, he was probably going to use Lucius as his bargaining chip in their negotiations.  
  
  
  
Anger overwhelmed Voldemort. Maintaining his hold on her jaw, he pushed her across the room towards the wall, slamming her head into it with a sickening thud. Adriana saw the room darken around her and she felt very sleepy and nauseous all of a sudden. It took all of her power to stay conscious. She couldn't fight him off with her own physical strength and felt alarmed as he lowered his hand from her breast to her thigh. "Do you really want to see the other option?" He smiled at her. Suddenly he released her jaw and slapped her hard across the face. Adriana stumbled and fell onto the floor.  
  
  
  
Adriana was dizzy, in a daze, and coming to see that she was losing control of the situation. If she didn't maintain her mental clarity, she'd never be able to finish scanning Riddle's mind for Lucius' location. She wasn't interested in doing anything to Riddle, she only wanted to get Lucius back. Closing her eyes, Adriana lay still on the floor, attempting to quickly healing herself. Everything felt as though it was moving in slow motion as bone and flesh knit back together again. She heard Voldemort speaking to somebody in the room, "There she is...and make sure to have some...fun with her."   
  
  
  
"Now what?" She thought to herself. She could feel the vibrations of at least two sets of footsteps in the floor as the people approached her. One person stopped at her side and knelt down next to her. Adriana heard a male voice speak close to her, "Such a pretty girl." She felt hands patting her down, as though checking for hidden weapons, but having a little too much fun with it. The man lifted her shirt up to her neck, and she cringed as once again her breasts and thighs were groped. "Such a beautiful girl," The voice spoke hungrily. Adriana cringed, yet remained silent as her legs were wrenched apart. "You Mudblood whore, you sleep with every man you meet, Dumbledore, Malfoy," The voice snarled angrily at her as the man's hands tore her underwear off and moved on to explore her body. She felt his fingers inside of her, tearing the delicate flesh, felt the blood flowing onto the floor beneath her. As she struggled against the man, the other person, who was behind her, grabbed Adriana by the shoulders and shoved her back to the ground, holding her tightly. The person behind her shifted their weight, held her down with one arm, and Adriana felt the other arm move down her body. She felt the tip of a knife as it was drawn across her bare stomach. It stung as the knife cut just through the surface of her skin. It continued up and cut through her bra, baring Adriana to whoever was there. She felt hot breath against her cheek as the man leaned over her, running his fingers over her bare breasts. At the same time, she felt warm lips kiss her forehead, cheeks, and then her mouth as the man's tongue filled it, causing Adriana to gag. One of his hands closed around her throat, and Adriana struggled to breathe; the other hand moved back down, inside of her again.   
  
  
  
Suddenly his hands disappeared, and Adriana could hear a buckle being loosened. The sound of a zipper being opened and the rustle of cloth told Adriana she didn't have much time left. She only needed another few seconds to complete her healing. As she finished, Adriana slowly opened her eyes and saw who was on top of her: a very grotesque and imposing man she'd never seen before.   
  
  
  
Gasping at the sight of the huge man who was clearly ready to do more to her, Adriana lifted her arms up and pushed him off of her. Sitting up quickly and pulling her shirt back down, she faced him. "Who are you?" Adriana asked, trying to compose herself. It was an odd sort of question in such circumstances, but she needed to regain control of the situation.   
  
  
  
"Lord Voldemort promised me a great reward, and I intend to get it," The man snapped, grabbing at Adriana's legs. Adriana kicked him in the face, sending him flying over backwards onto the ground. Standing up, she felt the blood between her legs, and realized how close she'd come to being raped by him. Fury enveloped Adriana and it took all of her strength not to kill him instantly. Instead, she treated him to a blend of painful spells, part Cruciatus, the rest being spells she had developed herself over the years. She focused the pain on the particular body part he'd been planning on raping her with. He wouldn't be doing that again any time soon. She watched for a minute or so as the man writhed on the ground in pain, a smile growing on her face, laughing slightly.  
  
  
  
An arm grabbed Adriana from behind and she was whirled around to face an equally grotesque and imposing woman. Adriana had completely forgotten there was another person involved in her attack. There was madness in her eyes as she lunged at Adriana. "How dare you treat my husband this way! Release him from your spell!" She shrieked. The woman pulled out her wand and pointed it at her, uttered the word "Crucio" and screamed in frustration as it did nothing to Adriana. The Imperious Curse did nothing as well, in fact nothing worked and it only served to anger her more.  
  
  
  
"That's your husband? Are you the one who did this?" Adriana pointed to the cut on her stomach. "What a fun family activity!" Adriana narrowed her eyes at the woman. Scanning her mind quickly for the woman's name, Adriana spoke, "Bellatrix Lestrange, you're Narcissa's sister aren't you?"  
  
  
  
Bellatrix's eyes grew large. "Who are you to call me by my given name? How did you know?" She asked with a raspy voice.  
  
  
  
"I have my ways," Adriana said, smiling slyly. "You know, between you and Lucius, it's truly a miracle that poor girl has any sanity left."   
  
  
  
Bellatrix lunged at Adriana, but was blocked by her. Adriana drew up a fist and slammed it hard into Bellatrix's face. "Was that what you were looking to do?" She asked Bellatrix sweetly.  
  
  
  
Holding her hand against her eye, Bellatrix snarled, "You mudblood bitch!"  
  
  
  
From the corner of her eye, Adriana could see Riddle observing the two women. He no doubt wanted to see her true powers to know if she was worth the trouble or not. "You're displeasing your master; not doing your job, are you? Wouldn't that make you a failure? I hope he treats you well even though you're worthless in his eyes." So far Adriana hadn't been doing much of anything besides blocking spells. She was curious to see how far she could go against such people. She'd never been as skilled with offensive spells as with defensive, but she knew a few that had never failed her before. And it wasn't as though these people were deserving of any mercy from her.   
  
  
  
Bellatrix grew more and more frustrated with Adriana, finally abandoned her wand, and lunged at her once again. "This is getting a little old, don't you think, Bellatrix?" Adriana asked with a bored look on her face which only served to fuel Bellatrix more. "I mean I haven't done anything to you and yet here you are, trying to torture me. Maybe it's my turn now, what do you think?"   
  
  
  
Adriana crept to the fireplace, put her hand into the flames, and smiled as both Bellatrix and Riddle looked shocked that she felt no pain. As she slowly drew her hand out of the fire, she held in it a dagger made of flame. It looked as solid as any metal, yet was clearly made of fire. Standing up, Adriana faced Bellatrix, left the ground and flew towards her at top speed. Grabbing Bellatrix by the hair, she pulled her to her side, placed her arm around Bellatrix's throat, and placed the dagger's edge against it. Bellatrix screamed as it burned into her flesh. "I think this is a little more fun now, wouldn't you agree, pet?" Adriana whispered harshly into her ear. Bellatrix's hands grabbed desperately at Adriana. Adriana threw Bellatrix onto the floor and stood over her. She summoned Bellatrix's wand to herself and held it in front of her while it slowly transformed into a sword. Holding the dagger in one hand and the sword in the other, Adriana knelt down beside Bellatrix. "Thank you for an amusing time, Bellatrix, I hope our next meeting is under better circumstances," as Adriana whispered this, she bent down over Bellatrix. Floating the dagger out of Bellatrix's reach Adriana got a hold of her hair, and cut it off with the sword, leaving Bellatrix with a new short hairdo. Tying the hair in a knot, Adriana placed it in her pocket, took back the dagger, and turned her attentions to Voldemort.  
  
  
  
"Riddle," She spoke to his mind, "You know who I'm looking for, and you will tell me where he is."   
  
  
  
Voldemort looked as though ready to kill Adriana. "How dare you call me by that name, bitch! I could kill you for that, but I won't. Maybe I'll kill the one you're looking for, he isn't any use to me anymore. He's far too taken with you to be helpful in any of my plans. I asked him to bring you to me, and he failed to do so. And when he failed to deliver the prophecy to me, that was the last failure I would accept from him. I thought a little time in Azkaban would do him some good. Fudge is a most helpful ally when it comes to things like that." Voldemort knew Adriana couldn't kill him with the either the sword or dagger and grabbed at her, but was unable to even touch her. Each time Voldemort tried to touch her, he was blocked by some invisible shield, and he felt his hands burning. His Cruciatus and Imperious Curses were ineffective as well. He was torn between his animalistic desire to kill her for not giving him what he wanted, and needing to keep her alive and happy in order to coax the answers he sought out of her. Adriana had had enough of Riddle and wasn't about to let him hurt her again. She sent him a few painful spells of her own, watching his eyes grow wide with shock as he felt pain coursing through his body from another person for the first time in a very long time. She had no way of knowing how much pain he was actually able to feel, most likely very little, but any amount was far more than he was used to receiving from anybody else.   
  
  
  
"Where is he?" Adriana demanded once again, always speaking into his mind, never from her mouth. "He isn't in Azkaban anymore, is he?"  
  
  
  
"Of course he isn't there, I had too much left to do to him to leave him there longer than a month or so. He's here, and we've been enjoying him very much." Riddle's mouth twisted into some semblance of a smile.  
  
  
  
Adriana called out to Lucius, hoping for a response. After several seconds, she felt a faint flutter in her mind, letting her know Lucius was still alive, but just barely. "I'm taking him with me. He will not come back to you. He's mine now! And, you are to leave his son out of this as well, or anybody bearing the Malfoy name or blood, understand?"  
  
  
  
"Go ahead, his family is worthless to me now. He was never much more than a loyal servant, not too smart, but he had his uses. I knew the first time his father introduced us, he'd be vital to my rise to power. Although he'd always had an unnatural closeness to his mother, and she was holding him back from me, but I took care of that. Lucius' father was always a loyal servant as well, you see. With his mother out of the way, there was nothing holding Lucius back, but he was always more interested in his own power. I always had to keep a close eye on that one. But no more. He is spent. His best days are far behind him. He even dared to prevent his son from joining my side. He isn't even worth my trouble to kill him."   
  
  
  
Adriana took a step towards the door that would lead her away from Riddle, but he called out once again. "I have showed you great mercy, girl. Such things cannot come without a price. You must tell me how you gained such power. You never told Lucius, but you will tell me, or you will not see him again, understand, pet?"   
  
  
  
Taking a deep breath, Adriana slowly began speaking to his mind, "What mercy have you shown me? It is I who have shown you mercy, Riddle. But I will tell you this much, I am not as young as I look. There is no magic spell or special ability that I used. I merely had the time to develop my full potential, as all Magical folk would, given the same circumstances." She had answered his question as fully as she was going to, and disappeared out of his sight before he could berate her with more questions. She walked out the door and went to find Lucius.   
  
  
  
Adriana searched the entire manor for Lucius. After looking for an hour with no luck, she walked towards the master bedroom, which was engulfed in a pitch black hallway. As she walked down the hall, she felt a chill pass through her body, which struck her as unusual seeing as she controlled her body temperature. All of a sudden, waves of sadness washed over Adriana's heart. For reasons she didn't know, tears flowed down her face. What was happening here? She felt as though all her happy feelings from her long life were being sucked out of her body. Adriana didn't like this feeling of being out of control. Memories of Brian, her stillborn son she'd had with Albus flooded Adriana's mind. Where were those coming from?   
  
  
  
Creating a small ball of light to guide her way, Adriana looked down the hall to see a dark, ominous figure guarding the bedroom door. She'd heard about dementors, but had never experienced one first-hand before. Taking a few more steps towards it, her body was wracked with labour pains. Adriana was caught off guard and it took her breath away. She wondered what was happening to her. She wasn't pregnant, so why the pains? She didn't know if she could go on anymore. Adriana's body was overcome with contractions, causing the bleeding from her attack to flow heavily once again. The pain increased, and she was forced down to her knees.  
  
  
  
Adriana obviously needed to do something about this. She'd never produced a Patronus charm before, but the time had come to do so. Since a Patronus could take on any shape, depending on the person, Adriana was unsure of how to visualize it. Trying to clear her mind of the pain and sadness, she realized she'd have to say the actual words of the spell for the first time. What were they? She'd never needed to know them before. She hadn't studied dementors since she'd left Hogwarts as a student some three hundred years ago. Looking up, she could see that the dementor was now gliding towards her. Panic flooded her body; it was "patronum" something. Thinking of all the Latin words she knew, she tried a few. "Efficio patronum," nothing. "Genero patronum," still nothing. "Creo patronum," the dementor was coming very close and Adriana felt overwhelmed with sadness.  
  
  
  
Closing her eyes, Adriana took a deep breath, and slowly crossed herself. "I will fear no evil; for you are with me," Adriana said aloud slowly. She felt her heartbeat slow down and calmness begin to clear her mind. An image of Lucius came to her. He was smiling at her, holding her hand, making her strong. Opening her eyes, she felt Lucius close to her. Opening her mouth, she spoke the words, "Expecto patronum," and watched with amazement as a pale silvery-white shape began to form in front of her, blocking the dementor from her sight. The shape turned into what looked like a panther, but maintained its silver-white colour. The panther took on a life of its own, charging towards the dementor, teeth bared, claws fully extended. The dementor stopped in mid-glide, frozen to the spot it floated upon. It raised its arms defensively to ward off the panther, but the cat kept advancing upon it. The dementor glided a small way backwards, before turning around and quickly gliding away, down the hall, and out of Adriana's sight. The panther continued to run after the dementor, chasing it around a corner before fading away, giving Adriana a chance to stand up and go to the room the dementor had been guarding, out of harm's way.   
  
  
  
As Adriana walked into the room, and looked around, she saw a hand on the ground, on the other side of the bed. Slowly walking towards the hand, she saw Lucius lying on the floor, looking as though he was dead. Adriana gasped as she saw him lying in a pool of his own blood, listened to the air rattle in and out of his lungs in shallow breaths. Falling to her knees, she put her hands on his chest and cried out, "Oh my darling, what have they done to you?" Tears formed in her eyes as she received no response from Lucius.  
  
  
  
Adriana looked at Lucius' body to see what had happened. He wore nothing more than the dirty, tattered remains of an Azkaban prisoner's uniform. His face was thin and gaunt, his ribs stuck out of his body more than usual. Lucius looked as though he'd been starved since he'd been in Azkaban. He had burns, cuts, and bruises covering his entire body. Further examination showed that he also had a few stab wounds in his thighs and feet. "Lucius, Lucius wake up, can you speak?" Adriana gently slapped his cheek, trying to rouse him. When he wouldn't wake, Adriana tried to heal him enough to let him regain consciousness. Lucius' head began to loll as he tried to wake. "Lucius, darling, it's me, Adriana. Can you wake up?" She called out to him. Lucius began to moan and thrash his arms out against Adriana. He sounded as though he was panicking and fighting for his life with what little strength he had left.   
  
  
  
The sounds of Lucius' struggle brought in one of the patrolling Death Eaters, investigating what was happening. Adriana steeled herself to defend not only herself, but Lucius, from this man. He slowly approached her as Adriana spread her arms out protectively over Lucius, shielding him with her body. "Get out of here!" She shouted. "Riddle's letting me take him home, and I'll kill you if you try and stop me, understand?" Panic arose in Adriana as the Death Eater continued to approach until he stood towering over her. Slowly bending down until he could look Adriana in the eye, he reached a hand out to touch Lucius on the arm. Adriana slapped his hand away, giving him an electrical shock in the process. "Don't you touch him!" She screamed.  
  
  
  
The Death Eater gasped in pain, grabbed his injured hand, and looked at Adriana with pain in his eyes. He looked up and down Adriana's body, noticing her messy hair and the blood staining her skirt and legs. "I've come to help you," The man said harshly, reaching out again towards Lucius, more aggressively.   
  
  
  
"Riddle sent you here to help me?" Adriana asked, unbelievingly. "Why would he do that?" The Death Eater touched the once again unconscious Lucius, placing one arm under his neck, and the other under his knees. With great exertion, the man gently picked Lucius up, leaving Adriana kneeling on the floor, looking up at the helpless man she loved more than life itself.   
  
  
  
"Stand up, woman," He said gruffly, his voice straining under the weight of Lucius. Slowly, Adriana stood up, facing the Death Eater. "You can enchant his body to be weightless and carry him out of here," The man walked up to Adriana and held out Lucius' body to her. Holding out her arms, she accepted the now weightless body of Lucius, and slowly began walking him out of the room. Stopping at the door, Adriana turned around, looked at the Death Eater, and asked, "What is your name?"  
  
  
  
The man stared for a moment at Adriana before answering, "Crouch."  
  
  
  
"Thank you, Crouch," Adriana said quietly, before turning once again towards the hall. Lucius' arms hung down limply, swinging with each of Adriana's steps. His long legs hit against Adriana's and his long hair and what was left of his clothes fluttered with the breeze as she walked down the stairs.   
  
  
  
The Dark Lord didn't try to stop Adriana from taking Lucius out of the manor. He didn't even grace Lucius with one last glance, as she carried him away from Voldemort, and the Death Eaters, and this life. It was this unspoken understanding that neither Adriana nor Voldemort existed to the other, that allowed this small miracle to take place. After leaving the perimeter of the manor, Adriana apparated back to the property, and gently carried Lucius home.   
  
Note: This chapter deals extensively with a theory about Snape that has not been proved yet in the books.   
  
References: The title and prayer Adriana says in the chapter are taken from the 23rd Psalm of the Bible. 


	42. The Recovery Mission

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
TavintonRose: I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I actually finished this story! There are a couple more chapters, though so don't panic yet! I'm glad you're finding the story so enjoyable still. I hope I keep you happy with this one!  
  
Wicked Lee: Adriana did pull through, but now she and Lucius have to deal with what happened to them. I hope you like this chapter too!  
  
Arsinoe50: I'm glad you approve of the treatment Voldy got courtesy of Adriana. Here's the aftermath!  
  
The Recovery Mission  
  
Adriana held Lucius in her arms as she carried him into the house. She took Lucius into the bathroom and drew a bath for him. Adriana gently placed him in the water, and washed away the many layers of blood on his body. In proper lighting, she could see all that had been done to him, and the many changes he'd gone through since the last time she'd seen him. His pale silver-blonde hair had turned snow white, due to the stress he'd been under for what must have been a very long time. He had a scraggly beard covering his chin that was encrusted with dried blood. He had scars all over his body, in various shapes and designs. Adriana felt the cut in her stomach, and could only imagine what his must have felt like. Those scars could be healed, but weren't vital to his survival. Adriana had to choose what his most life threatening injuries were and heal those first.   
  
  
  
There was nothing life threatening on the outside of Lucius' body. The stab wounds were shallow, as were the cuts. Adriana feared that most of the damage was internal. She placed her hands on his stomach, closed her eyes, and focused on Lucius. She visualized the inside of his body, the bones, muscles, and organs. Whenever she saw a broken bone, torn muscle, or bleeding organ, she healed it. Some of the bones had been broken, half healed, then re-broken. His left femur had been one of those. That one alone took her an hour to heal completely.   
  
  
  
It was slow and exhausting work, but Adriana didn't notice how much time had passed or how tired she was. She didn't know where the strength to heal Lucius was coming from. Adriana's soul was entwined in his, giving him strength to hold on, but at times she felt a power from outside their union, at work with both of them.   
  
  
  
Several hours must have passed, and Adriana was lying draped over the edge of the tub, her arms wrapped around Lucius. She had slipped in and out of consciousness the entire time, and was barely conscious when Severus found her.   
  
  
  
It had been the hardest thing Severus had ever done in his life, to watch Adriana leave Malfoy Manor with Lucius, and be unable to help her. He'd seen the blood on her legs, he knew something horrible had happened to her, yet he'd had to stay until Crouch's shift was over, before returning to Hogwarts for Albus and Poppy Pomfrey, the school's healer.   
  
  
  
Severus bent over Adriana and tried to pick her up. As he lifted her, she clung tightly to Lucius. "No, I have to say with him, I can't leave him, it's too soon..." Adriana said quietly, yet very firmly. As Severus tried to pull her away from Lucius, she began to struggle in his arms. "Let me go, he needs me, please, let me stay," Adriana let go of Lucius with one arm and tried to push Severus away from her with it. Adriana had no strength to push with though, and Severus was able to grab her arm and pull her away from Lucius. Picking Adriana up, he carried her out of the bathroom, and into her bedroom, where he gently set her on the bed.  
  
  
  
Albus sat down on the bed next to Adriana. He introduced Poppy to her, and told her he and Severus would attend to Lucius. Adriana curled herself up into a ball, not acknowledging Poppy, hoping she'd leave soon. Now that she was not healing Lucius, and was safely back at her home, the events of the evening began to hit her with their full force.  
  
  
  
Bellatrix's husband had done such horrible things to her, Adriana had never been attacked in that way before. She hated that feeling of helplessness. She couldn't get his ugly face out of her mind. She felt the weight of his body on top of her, and his fingers tearing her flesh. He'd touched her body in ways that she'd only been touched in love before. She felt dirty, and wanted more than anything to take a long hot cleansing shower.  
  
  
  
Poppy spoke kindly to Adriana, trying to make her feel safe, and hoping she'd unfold herself from the fetal position she was rocking back and forth in. Adriana felt that this woman could be trusted. Severus had brought Renata to her, so she must be a good person. Slowly, Adriana unfolded herself, and looked at Poppy.  
  
  
  
Adriana lay on the bed with Madam Pomfrey by her feet. Waves of pain, shame, and humiliation flooded her body. Adriana hadn't met this woman before, but she trusted her anyway. "Dear, do you mind if I take a look at you? Make sure you're all right?" Adriana didn't meet Pomfrey's eyes, but silently nodded her head.   
  
  
  
Poppy had a bowl with warm water and a washcloth, sat down next to Adriana, and gently opened her legs. With soft strokes, she washed away the dried blood on Adriana's thighs. Adriana cringed and flinched as Poppy began wiping the blood away from the rest of her. It stung and she began to cry. When Madam Pomfrey had finished cleaning her off, she took a healing salve and gently put it inside of Adriana. Adriana's crying continued as the salve began to take effect, numbing the whole bottom half of her body.   
  
  
  
Poppy examined the rest of Adriana's body, wiping off the cut from her stomach to her neck, which was superficial and did no lasting damage. It wouldn't even scar. She examined Adriana's head, and applied another healing salve to where it had been hit against the wall. Poppy gave Adriana a sleeping draught to help her get a good night's sleep.   
  
  
  
Poppy patted Adriana's hand soothingly and asked, "Are you all right dear?"  
  
  
  
Adriana's crying grew louder and stronger. "I should have fought him off, I should have tried harder, this is all my fault."  
  
  
  
Poppy looked concerned, took Adriana's head in her hands, and looked directly into her eyes. "This was not your fault. No woman, no person, deserves to have this done to them, understand? Now, I'm not telling you to stop crying, I'm just saying you don't have to feel ashamed about this. You've been through a terrible experience, and if you want to talk about it, now or any time, I want you to come to me, all right?"  
  
  
  
Adriana sniffed loudly, nodded her head and allowed herself to be taken in Poppy's arms. Poppy held Adriana, gently rocking her, allowing her to cry herself to sleep as the draught began to take effect. She gently laid Adriana on the bed, covered her with the bed covers, and turned out the light before leaving the room.  
  
  
  
  
  
Albus had gone into the bathroom to find Lucius lying naked in the tub. He'd gently floated Lucius into the living room, laid a blanket on the couch, and set him on it. Albus had no love for this man, but, seeing his mangled and broken body, he had been filled with pity for Lucius. Nobody deserved to be treated this way, not even a Death Eater.  
  
  
  
Adriana had done the majority of the larger healing, leaving countless smaller things to be healed by Poppy. Lucius was stable, so Albus felt safe leaving him to speak with Poppy and Severus in the kitchen. Poppy gave them some details of Adriana's encounter with Voldemort and the Death Eaters, but didn't divulge everything.   
  
  
  
Severus knew what had happened, and was filled with blind rage towards Lucius. It was Lucius' fault Adriana had been attacked. Lucius had caused all of this. He was a selfish bastard who only looked out for himself, and somebody needed to take care of him. Severus slipped out of the kitchen, and walked silently into the living room.  
  
  
  
Severus stood above Lucius' body, which was writhing in pain, with his wand raised above his head. Just two little words, and it would all be over. As he opened his mouth to speak, he was startled by Albus' voice, calling to him from the doorway. "Severus, don't do this," He said quietly. Albus walked up next to Severus and placed a hand on his shoulder.  
  
  
  
Severus flinched from the contact, and looked at the ground, lowering his wand. "It's nothing less than he deserves," Severus said.  
  
  
  
"No, it isn't. Lucius may have done many terrible things in his life, and may not deserve the chance to redeem himself. Although, to be fair, one could easily say the very same thing about you...," Albus trailed off.   
  
  
  
Severus continued to look at the floor. Lucius had ruined his life. Lucius had drawn him into the Death Eaters in the first place. Severus had taken care of Adriana after Lucius had hurt her so terribly. Severus had taken care of Lucius himself after all those beatings. He hadn't participated in them because he hadn't wanted it to get back to Adriana. It would have ended any friendship they had between one another. And, though he hated to admit it, Lucius was Renata's father. How could he ever face her if he'd been a part of that? But this was beyond the pale. Adriana shouldn't have ever have had to go through what she did. Severus wanted Lucius to pay for her pain, with his life. It was a fitting punishment for what Lucius had done to others, including himself, his entire life. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't," Severus asked, looking up at Albus.  
  
  
  
Albus looked at Severus in the eyes, and spoke quietly. "Because you love her. And she loves him. And you'd never do anything to hurt her."  
  
  
  
Severus took a deep breath, and squared his shoulders, eyes on Albus. He would rise above this. He was capable of being a better man than this, and it was time to act that way. Nodding his head slightly, Severus turned and walked out of the room.  
  
  
  
Poppy joined Albus in the living room and examined Lucius. He still hadn't regained consciousness yet, and this concerned Poppy. She poured a potion into his mouth that he swallowed, and after several minutes, he began thrashing about on the couch, and moaning. "Adriana...Adriana," He slurred repeatedly. Suddenly, Lucius opened his eyes, but was still too out of it to know what was happening.   
  
  
  
Albus leaned down and gripped his shoulder tightly. "Lucius, Lucius, calm down. You're all right now. Voldemort isn't going to hurt you anymore. You're safe now."   
  
Lucius looked at Albus with wildness in his eyes. The Dark Lord was crafty and had many tricks to use. Perhaps this was another one of them, a new form of torture. In a minute, he'd wake up in his bedroom, with the Death Eaters laughing and jeering at his misfortune.  
  
  
  
"Please, don't hurt me...I promise I'll be quieter next time," Lucius begged Albus. The Dark Lord had broken his fingers for crying out during their last torture session. Lucius could never figure out what the Dark Lord wanted from him. Some days, he wanted Lucius to cry out in pain. Some days, he wanted silence. Some days, he wanted begging and whimpering for lenience. But he never told Lucius what he wanted. He was always left to figure it out for himself.   
  
  
  
Albus looked at Lucius with pity in his heart. Lucius was clasping his hands, and looking imploringly at Albus. He had broken into a sweat, wondering what would be done to him this time. Albus leaned down and brushed a hand soothingly over Lucius' cheek, trying to let him see he had no hostile intentions. Lucius shuddered at the touch and threw an arm protectively around his face. "Lucius, you're safe. Nobody is going to hurt you again. Adriana is asleep in her bedroom, you can see her when she wakes up. Adriana came to Malfoy Manor. She met with Voldemort. He decided to let her take you back home with her. You're at her farm. You're not at the manor, you're not with Voldemort," Albus said patiently, trying to calm Lucius' fears.   
  
  
  
Poppy, who had left the room to prepare some broth for Lucius to drink, returned to the couch and knelt down by Lucius' side. "Here, drink this, it'll make you feel better," She said quietly. Lucius had been starved for such a long time, it was unhealthy for him to eat anything more than broth for a while. His recovery would take a very long time, with a very strictly followed diet. Poppy held the cup to his lips, and poured some broth down his throat. Lucius swallowed, and looked surprised to taste it. He'd been expecting some bitter draught, not something good. There was something comforting about this woman, she made Lucius feel somewhat safer. But maybe that's what the Dark Lord wanted, to lull him into a false sense of security. Perhaps the broth he was drinking was really poison. Lucius suddenly became so tired, he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. He fell asleep, unable to stay awake.   
  
  
  
Albus sent Severus back to the school to look after Renata. He summoned Alastor to replace him. Poppy, Alastor, and Albus stayed through the night with Lucius and Adriana.   
  
  
  
Adriana woke up late the next morning, stiff and sore. Poppy helped her walk to the bathroom and then into the living room, to see the sleeping figure of Lucius on her couch. Adriana slowly sank to her knees, and wrapped her arms around Lucius, hugging him tightly. She kissed his cheeks and forehead, wishing he'd wake up and kiss her back.  
  
  
  
As Adriana gazed at Lucius, his eyes fluttered open, and he looked blankly at her. "What are you going to do to me today?" Lucius asked. The Dark Lord was being crueler than ever before, disguising himself as Adriana.   
  
"Lucius, it's me, Adriana-" Adriana began before getting cut off.  
  
  
  
"What is it you want from me, master? Why are you doing this to me?" Lucius snarled.  
  
  
  
Adriana looked at Poppy, confused. Looking back at Lucius, she said, "Lucius, darling, what are you talking about? I'm not Voldemort." Adriana gently touched Lucius' arm, and smiled at him.   
  
  
  
Lucius assumed he'd feel pain at the touch, and pulled his arm out of her grip before she did anything to him. "Don't touch me!" He shouted at her.  
  
  
  
"But Lucius, I'm not going to hurt you, I love you," Adriana said quietly.  
  
  
  
"Get out of here, I hate you!" Lucius screamed, curling up protectively.   
  
  
  
Tears sprang to Adriana's eyes and she slowly stood up. It took her a while to make her way out of the room, for it hurt to move her legs too much. As soon as she was back in her bed, Adriana began to sob. Poppy followed behind her, and spoke soothingly to her, explaining that he wasn't really lucid at this time. Lucius was delusional, thinking he was still being tortured by Voldemort. He wasn't really saying those things to her.   
  
  
  
Albus heard Adriana crying and rushed into the room to comfort her. As he came up behind her and tried to put his arms around her, she screamed, and sent him pain so great he bent over in agony. "No! Don't touch me!" She screamed, echoing what Lucius had said to her. Whipping around to face Albus, and realizing who it was, Adriana immediately stopped sending him pain. She ran up to him, put her arms around him, crying and apologizing profusely. Albus put his arms around her and apologized for scaring her.  
  
  
  
Lucius and Adriana were cared for over the next week by Poppy, Albus, and Alastor. They rotated shifts at the property, so that they could also spend time doing their other duties. There was always at least one person with them, day and night.   
  
  
  
Adriana's physical injuries healed much more quickly than Lucius'. Albus and Alastor helped Lucius walk around, to regain his strength. All of his injuries had been healed, except for one of the stab wounds in his left foot. Poppy had been unable to get to it before it began to heal itself, and the foot was very stiff and sore. There would be permanent muscle damage, and Lucius was left with a limp that would last the rest of his life. She was the only person Lucius trusted to shave him, and Adriana was quite pleased to see the beard go. It didn't suit him.   
  
  
  
Albus had brought Lucius a cane one day, since his walking stick and wand had been confiscated and destroyed during his time in Azkaban, for Lucius to try to walk with. As he and Albus slowly walked outside one day, a week after he'd come back to the property, Lucius watched as Adriana walked out to the barn with a bucket in her hand. He watched as she milked the cow, and walked back with the heavy bucket in her hand. Some of the milk splashed out of the bucket and against Adriana's leg, and she bent down to wipe it off before continuing back into the house. Lucius stood silently, still watching Adriana. He saw that her body was covered in those unattractive baggy clothes she wore at certain times of the month. She'd been dressed like that for the entire week he'd been here. It was a lot for the Dark Lord to do to trick him for this long. And would he go so far as to milk a cow? And to wear such clothes? For the first time in a week, Lucius began to wonder if this might just be real.  
  
  
  
Adriana hadn't attempted to speak to Lucius after he had so clearly shown he didn't want to talk to her. Adriana had been very hurt at first, especially when she thought about what she went through to get him and bring him home. Thoughts of her attack filled her mind day and night. She slowly began to resent Lucius' presence in her home, for she now saw him as the one responsible. If he hadn't left her and returned to Riddle, none of this would have happened. They could have been happy together, experienced the pregnancy and birth of their daughter together, and raised her at the property where she belonged, together.   
  
  
  
Adriana had long dreamed of bringing Lucius home for good. Or of him returning of his own volition, though what she knew now of Riddle, that wouldn't have been possible. It had been over a year since he'd left her. Much had changed in that time, including herself. Now that she had Lucius back home, she wasn't so sure if it was what she wanted.   
  
  
  
After a week and a half had passed, Adriana was well enough, and Lucius was able to walk with the cane on his own, and it was decided to let Adriana take over. Albus, Alastor, and Poppy needed to return to their other duties full time, as there was other much more pressing events to be dealt with than these two people. But Alastor insisted on stopping by at least once a week, to look in on Adriana.   
  
  
  
Adriana was nervous about being left alone with Lucius for the first time after such a long absence. What if he tried to attack her? It wouldn't be the first time, and she wasn't sure if she had the strength to fight him off. What if he resented her taking him from Riddle? Maybe he still wanted to be a Death Eater. What if he still hated her for being Muggle-born? The last time she'd seen him, he'd acted as though she was diseased.  
  
  
  
On the first day they were left alone together, Lucius had hobbled over to the kitchen table and sat watching Adriana prepare breakfast. This was the first time she'd be preparing his food, and he was nervous. He wasn't sure if she'd poison the food or put horrible things in it. And why would the Dark Lord even bother making food for him?  
  
  
  
Lucius looked down at the plate of scrambled eggs with melted cheese on top of them and moved them around the plate to see if there was anything hidden in it. Adriana sat down across from him and ate a plate of the same thing. Eyeing her carefully, he slowly took a bite and was pleasantly surprised to find they tasted delicious. Lucius ate the entire plateful, and sighed in a satisfied fashion afterwards.   
  
  
  
Several weeks later, Lucius was still adjusting to being alone with Adriana. Up till now, she hadn't tried to poison him or cut his throat in his sleep, or beat him in any fashion. He was sitting peacefully on the couch, when Adriana entered the room and began setting up the TV and VCR. She sat on the couch and watched as a movie started. Lucius considered leaving the room to get away from her, but moved to the far side of the couch instead.   
  
  
  
The movie started, and Lucius found himself watching it with somewhat of an interest. The movie was titled, 'Singin' In the Rain'. It was apparently a musical. Lucius had seen other musicals with Adriana before, but not this one. He couldn't stand how happy the people in musicals were and couldn't understand why they appealed to Adriana. It was a fluffy movie, perfect, according to Adriana, for when one was in a bad mood. Part way through the movie, Lucius saw a woman enter the story. She had dark black, chin-length hair, and wore a very familiar green dress. It was like looking at Adriana. She told him later on the actress' name was Cyd Charisse. The woman wore a dress reminiscent of one he recalled from a particular New Year's Masque that had changed his life. That dress had been sequined and made up of strips of cloth that moved with its wearer, Lucius could clearly see it was an exact replica of this one. The Dark Lord knew about that dress, but had no way of knowing this movie, for Lucius had never seen it before. He couldn't be the one doing this, did that mean...Was this really Adriana? Lucius spent the rest of the movie looking at Adriana, growing more and more confident that he was in fact free of the Dark Lord. She looked more beautiful to him than he'd remembered her being before he'd left.   
  
  
  
Later that day, Adriana sat on the back porch, sipping a cup of hot cocoa, watching the leaves on the trees fall gently to the ground. The sun was shining brightly, though it gave off no warmth. A sudden thought came to her as she sat in silence. She still had Bellatrix's hair. What did she want to do with it? Adriana didn't want it, it was something she'd taken as part of the spoils of war at the time, but had no desire for it now. Perhaps she'd send it over to Narcissa, if she ever found out where she was, with her sister's greetings and compliments. With that settled, Adriana watched as Lucius sat underneath the olive tree at the top of the hill. He'd spent much of his time sitting up there after he was able to walk better.   
  
  
  
Lucius stood up from the spot under the olive tree he'd been sitting on and stretched his legs. He'd been eating broth and porridge and had gained weight in the time he'd been at the property. It took him longer to walk up this hill than before, but Lucius found peace sitting under the olive tree, gazing at the wheat field below, as busy farmers worked to bring in the harvest. He liked watching the windmill turn in the wind as well. As he turned to walk down the hill, he saw Adriana sitting on the back porch. She looked forlorn and pathetic, all alone in the world.  
  
  
  
It took a long time before Lucius made it to the back porch. His foot was stiff and sore, and his muscles hadn't completely regained their strength. By the time he reached Adriana, he was thoroughly exhausted, and sat down next to her, looking out at the pond with the sun shining on it. Every once in a while, he looked at Adriana, trying to see signs of the Dark Lord, but saw none, his heart soared at the idea of being with her again.   
  
  
  
Lucius' heart pounded as he grew bold and decided to speak to her again. He had to know if it was really Adriana or not. Clearing his throat, he spoke quietly, "How can I tell if you're really Adriana?"  
  
  
  
Adriana was startled to hear Lucius speaking to her and turned towards him with wide eyes. "I don't know. It is me," She replied.  
  
  
  
"Tell me something that only you would know," Lucius said.  
  
  
  
Adriana thought about what she knew about Lucius that Riddle didn't know. No doubt he'd scanned Lucius' mind for everything he knew about her, and had seen his memories of their life together. "I don't know...," She began. "You look great in shiny black leather pants, as long as they're the right size. You're far better than me at playing strip Monopoly. Your breakfast cooking skills have vastly improved since your first attempt. You gave me a painting of yourself at Christmas a few years ago, but he ran away back to your house after I drew glasses and a mustache on him. I know that vegetable soup is Albert's favourite food," Adriana said with a smile on her face, remembering that night at the dinner party.  
  
  
  
Lucius' face flushed, and he looked down at the ground. Adriana could see she was making some headway with him, but still needed more evidence to end Lucius' doubts. Adriana stood up, walked into the house, leaving the door open. She walked into a room and a couple minutes later, music from one of his Elvis records filled the house, spilled out onto the porch, and soon Lucius was swept away by happy memories. He hadn't heard those in a very long time, and a small smile crept to his face.  
  
  
  
The music was still playing when Adriana returned with a box. She opened the box, and began taking items out. He saw his Muggle clothes that he'd bought with Adriana. There was the bracelet he'd given her, which Lucius remembered giving to her years ago. She'd thrown it back in his face out of anger, but he'd seen it later on in her bedroom, showing him she'd taken it back. He saw the bouquet of the blue flowers he'd given her on their camping trip that she'd obviously preserved in a dried state. There was the necklace with the top hat from the Monopoly game on it. Everything he'd ever given to her, she'd kept and put in that box. He was amazed, and ecstatic that she'd saved all of this. Memories of his life before the Dark Lord's return flooded his mind. He sat for a long time in silence, just remembering. As Adriana sat down next to him, he smelled her vanilla perfume that he hadn't remembered smelling before today. All of a sudden, he was on his back in the trinket shop where he had first seen her, looking up at her as she was teasing him. Who knew so much would come out of a simple meeting like that? He heard the Elvis music playing and remembered serenading her late one night with it. The sight of the blue flowers brought a fluttery feeling to his stomach as he remembered telling Adriana he loved her for the first time. His heart pounded as he remembered he still did.   
  
  
  
Lucius saw that this was much too elaborate of a trick for even the Dark Lord to keep up for such a long time, and came to the decision that this was in fact real. It was really Adriana sitting next to him; those were his records playing; this was her property. He really was away from the Dark Lord. "You really aren't him, are you?" He asked cautiously.  
  
  
  
Adriana shook her head, "No, I'm not. I'd be happy if I never heard about Riddle again, quite frankly."  
  
  
  
Lucius and Adriana sat on the porch together, with the box in between them. After a few hours of feeling comfortable and safe, Lucius's emotions were soon replaced with terror as he realized the Dark Lord would be coming after him. He'd find him and take him back for more torture. He had no wand, he was completely helpless against the Dark Lord. Perhaps the pain would be less if Lucius returned to him of his own free will. But with no wand, he couldn't apparate. It would be a long trip back to the manor when he decided to leave.  
  
  
  
Adriana's heart soared as she saw Lucius trusted her again. Her first instinct was to hug and kiss him, but felt as nervous as the first few times he'd visited her house years ago. She put her hands under her arms, looking like she was staying warm, in order to keep Lucius from seeing them tremble. Adriana wondered when Lucius would be well enough to stay by himself, for she wanted to go to Hogwarts spend some more time with Renata. Now that Riddle wasn't going to hurt the baby, it was safe for Adriana to be with her. But Renata had to stay at the school until Lucius was ready to find out about her.  
  
  
  
It was a couple of weeks before Lucius was able to stay by himself at the property. They spent the time talking, eating, watching movies. Neither of them hugged or kissed the other, for they were both uncertain how far the other was willing to go. One afternoon, after they had spent a pleasant meal together, and as they walked towards the sink, they bumped into one another. After putting their dishes in the sink, Adriana turned the water on and started washing them. Lucius walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. He nibbled her ear, and ran one hand over her throat, and the other over her breasts. Adriana's heart pounded, and she broke away from Lucius. Walking several feet and facing away from him, Adriana snapped at him, "You don't just grab at people, that's so rude!"   
  
  
  
Lucius was alarmed. "Adriana, what are you talking about? What's the matter?"  
  
  
  
Adriana's shoulders fell, and he could see her start to cry as she turned around. "Oh Lucius, just hold me, please," Adriana replied, walking to Lucius and putting her arms around him.  
  
Lucius held onto Adriana as tightly as he could, without losing his balance on his bad leg. He didn't know why she was upset, and hated to see her so sad.  
  
  
  
A week later, as they were sitting on the couch watching the telly, they leaned forward to grab the remote at the same time and Lucius' hand brushed against Adriana's. Lucius wrapped his fingers around Adriana's. She closed her eyes, and sighed, while he gently pulled her towards himself. Lucius kissed her hand, then gently put his hands around her head, and pulled her towards him to kiss her. He kissed her gently, running his fingertips over her cheeks and jaw. As he slipped his tongue inside her mouth, Adriana broke away from him. She blushed, and looked at the ground, not explaining her behaviour, and confusing Lucius again.  
  
  
  
Lucius wondered what he was doing wrong that kept upsetting her. She stopped him from going any farther than kissing her. He was reminded of their first year together. Why she was suddenly acting this way again? A year and a half was a long time to be apart. Perhaps the dream he'd had about Adriana choosing Snape over him had been true. Maybe she had gotten together with Snape after he'd left, and now she wanted to be with him instead. Lucius knew what Snape was like. He'd waited for his chance and moved in to take it as soon as possible after Lucius had left. He'd seduced Adriana, and now she was only looking after Lucius because she felt obligated to help him.   
  
  
  
One afternoon, Adriana asked if he was strong enough to stay by himself for a few hours while she went up to Hogwarts. While she was gone, Lucius thought about Adriana, up there with Severus. What were they doing? He thought about himself. No wonder she didn't like him anymore, he was weak. She'd been babysitting him for a month now, after she'd rescued him from the Dark Lord. He was doing his best to regain his strength, would Adriana ever let him love her again? Or was sitting on her couch, watching her movies what was left of his future? 


	43. Little Boy Lost

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Arsinoe50: Here's the next installment of the recovery. Hope you enjoy it!  
  
TavingtonRose: I know it's sad that this is all coming to an end. But there is more to come. ElfFlame is writing the 4th story entitled, Dragon's Tears, about Draco's view on all these events. The first chapter is already posted so check it out! That story will end up going much further into Lucius and Adriana's relationship, and how Draco fits into all of that.  
  
Wicked Lee: This new kind of pain is really just beginning. He still has a ways to go before he's completely recovered. Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy it!  
  
Little Boy Lost  
  
Note: This chapter deals with events described in the story Dark Descent, the 2nd story of the True Revenge series, written by me. That story is only 3 chapters long, and if you haven't already read it, I recommend you check it out, because the events in it have shaped who Lucius is and how he's conducted his life in this story.  
  
  
  
It was November, and Lucius still woke up almost every night in a cold sweat. His nightmares were terrible, and filled him with dread for the moment when the Dark Lord would return for him. He'd sit up in his bed, and pull his blanket around him for warmth, and try to block those thoughts out of his mind. Lucius found himself reading books during these early morning hours when he couldn't get back to sleep, just to think about something else. Adriana was getting used to seeing the dark circles under his eyes, and seeing his light on at odd hours of the night.  
  
  
  
Adriana had charmed Renata's room to accommodate Lucius. She'd turned Renata's crib into a bed for him to sleep in. Everything else that had been Renata's had been turned into something suitable for an adult. The changing table was now a book shelf. Her wardrobe was now a leather arm chair.   
  
  
  
Adriana spent at least two afternoons a week up at Hogwarts. Renata was now excited to see her whenever she came. One afternoon, Sev was very excited to see Adriana and told her about his evening with Renata the day before. He'd been reading potion instructions to her, as was his usual evening ritual, when he'd heard a small voice say, "Pothun!" Turning around to face Renata, he looked with wide eyes and grinned. Sev read for a while longer, and again, Renata said, "Pothun!" Sev was so excited, he went to the fireplace in his room, stuck his head in, and called out to Albus to come see the baby. Albus popped out of the fireplace and watched while Sev read to Renata again. After several minutes she said, "Pothun!" to Albus, who grinned and tickled her chin.  
  
  
  
Adriana started to cry when she'd found out she'd missed her daughter's first word. Renata was also eating solid food now. She was missing all of Renata's milestone events in her first year. Her only consolation was hearing her daughter say "Pothun!" a few times during her visit.  
  
  
  
Whenever Adriana returned from the school, she wasn't too interested in being around Lucius. Part of her resented him for having to keep her daughter up there. Adriana wondered if she even still loved Lucius. She'd wanted him for so long after he'd left, but so much had happened since, did she still feel that way? It was exhausting to take care of him. He was making good progress, and didn't need the cane to walk with anymore, but he wasn't sleeping much, and moped around the house all day long.   
  
  
  
One night, Adriana was enveloped in a wonderful dream. She and Lucius were kissing as they lay on the hammock. It was a warm summer evening. They were naked after a swim in the pond, and lay in a tangle of arms and legs as they enjoyed each other's company. Lucius ran his hands lightly over her breasts, kissing them, nipping at them gently. Adriana sighed happily as he put his hands on her thighs and parted them, and moved inside of her. Lucius had his hands around her hips, lifting her up further with every thrust. After a long time, Lucius smiled and cried out as he released himself within her. A couple more thrusts, and Adriana came as well, her whole body writhing under his. As Adriana woke up, she could feel the waves of a very strong orgasm still coursing through her body. Panting in the dark room, she grabbed the sheets on the mattress, and held onto them as she tried to catch her breath. Adriana hadn't experienced anything like that since the night she'd conceived Renata. Sitting up, Adriana considered going into Lucius' room, but decided to let him sleep seeing as he wasn't getting that much sleep anymore. No longer able to sleep again herself, Adriana let the images of her dream fill her mind, and she relived that feeling of ecstasy several more times, before the day started.   
  
  
  
Meanwhile, in Lucius' room, he'd been awake, agonizing over the fact that the Dark Lord would be coming after him soon. He had come to the realization that he was a danger to Adriana. He should return to the Dark Lord to avoid worse punishment, and to keep him away from Adriana. The thought that hurt him most though, was the idea that Adriana wouldn't even care. She was clearly involved with Snape now, and he was invading her life by staying here. When he left, she'd be free to go to the school any time she felt like it to see him.  
  
  
  
The next morning, Adriana was humming a tune in the kitchen as she prepared breakfast. Lucius walked into the room, standing by the refrigerator, watching Adriana for several minutes before sitting down to eat. He wanted to remember her like this, when he was back with the Dark Lord. He hated to have to tell her this way, but she deserved to hear it from his mouth, not some letter.  
  
  
  
"Adriana," Lucius began slowly, his mouth dry, "I...I have to go back." He couldn't look Adriana in the face.  
  
  
  
"Back where?" Adriana said absentmindedly, sitting back in her chair.  
  
  
  
"To the Dark Lord. He'll be coming after me, and it's safer for you and me if I just go back to him. I'm so sorry," Lucius said. It broke his heart to have to leave her again.  
  
  
  
"Honey, he's not coming after you. We made a deal, remember? I leave him alone, and he leaves us alone. It's a great arrangement. really. I was going to leave him alone anyway, so I got you thrown into the deal as a nice freebie!" Adriana replied, smiling at Lucius.  
  
  
  
"He's a liar. He won't live up to his end of the deal. I have to go!" Lucius said, desperation in his eyes.  
  
  
  
"You really want to go back to that man?" Adriana asked quietly.  
  
  
  
"I have to," Lucius answered.  
  
  
  
"He doesn't care about you Lucius. He no longer values you as a Death Eater. He told me he never saw you as anything more than a faithful servant, like one of your house-elves. He said you weren't able to do anything of import anymore and weren't even worth his efforts to kill you," Adriana said, standing up and clenching her fists as though preparing for a fight.  
  
  
  
"He was lying to you. He needs me to help him win the war. He's going to hurt anybody who stands in his way, and I can't let him do that to you," Lucius said, obviously conflicted.  
  
  
  
"He's not going to come after you, or me, or Draco or-," Adriana cut herself off before she said "Renata".  
  
  
  
"He wants you to think that. That's the way the Dark Lord works. I have to go, I'm so sorry Adriana. I love you so much. I'm doing this for you," Lucius said as he walked to the back door and opened it to leave.   
  
  
  
Adriana walked onto the back porch with him, glaring at Lucius. "Don't go back to him for me. I don't need to be protected. If you're returning, it's because you want to, for yourself."  
  
  
  
"I don't want to! I want to stay here, with you! More than anything!"  
  
  
  
"Then stay! You don't have to go!"  
  
  
  
"But he'll-"  
  
  
  
"He hasn't come back yet! Why would he now?"  
  
  
  
"That's the way he works!"  
  
  
  
"You want to go back! You haven't changed at all!"  
  
  
  
"Yes I have, I-"  
  
  
  
"You want to go back! You still support that man! Do you know what I went through to get you back?"  
  
  
  
"I don't support him!"  
  
  
  
"Your sister-in-law Lucius! And her husband! They attacked me!"  
  
  
  
"I-"  
  
  
  
"Riddle groped me and cracked my skull against a wall!"  
  
  
  
"But-"  
  
  
  
"A dementor, Lucius, I had to fight one of those off!"  
  
  
  
"But-"  
  
  
  
"If you think I'm going to let you just leave me after all of that, you're either insane or incredibly stupid! They almost raped me Lucius! And I'm supposed to let you go back to him?" Adriana was screaming by now, coming up to Lucius aggressively.  
  
  
  
"You let them touch you? You're more powerful than that! What did you do to him? Did you try to seduce him?" Lucius stopped yelling and became suddenly quiet.  
  
  
  
Adriana looked shocked. "Excuse me?" She asked in barely more than a whisper.  
  
  
  
"Did you sleep with him? Is that how you got me back?" Lucius spoke with a look of disgust on his face. He backed away from her.  
  
  
  
Walking up to Lucius, Adriana tried to decide what to do to him. Looking into his eyes, she slowly shook her head, and slapped him hard across the face. "How dare you judge me? You of all people. You who cheated on your wife for your entire marriage. You who've killed people; tortured innocent Muggles. You dare to judge me?"   
  
  
  
Lucius turned away from Adriana.  
  
  
  
"What I did, I did to bring you back. I did it because I love you. What have you ever done for love? Every action you've ever taken in your life has been for power. And look at where that got you! Countless hours of torture. Prison sentences in Azkaban. Your power failed you Lucius! But my love hasn't! Love will always win out over power Lucius, keep that in mind."  
  
  
  
"Did you sleep with the Dark Lord?" Lucius asked while looking at the ground.  
  
  
  
"If I said yes, and told you how wonderful he was, would you be jealous because you didn't get to? Or perhaps you already have?"  
  
  
  
Lucius' face flushed, and he looked into Adriana's face with a pained look. "How dare you imply something like that! I have never..." His voice trailed off. "I'm not going to stay here and let you say such things about me!" Lucius began to walk away, and turned around the corner before Adriana yelled after him.  
  
  
  
"Riddle killed your mother, Lucius! Did you know that? He got Janos to kill her so you'd join his side. I bet he never told you that, did he?"  
  
  
  
Adriana heard no response, and after a few minutes, walked after him. As she turned the corner, she saw Lucius on his hands and knees on the cold damp ground. He'd been sick, and was looking about wildly, gasping for breath. "He killed her. He killed my mother," Lucius stuttered. He knew this had to be the truth, for Lucius had never uttered a word about his mother to Adriana before.  
  
  
  
Adriana ran to him, put her arms around him, and said, "I'm so sorry you had to find out this way." Standing up, she helped Lucius to his feet, and together, they walked back into the house. Adriana apologized to Lucius all the way back, for she should never have said that in anger. It wasn't fair for him to find out like that.   
  
  
  
Adriana settled Lucius into his bed, and stayed by his side. She brushed her fingers gently up and down his arm, trying to comfort him. Lucius never spoke anything other than, "He killed my mother...I turned to him...I served him...He killed my mother," over and over again. Adriana saw Lucius was in deep shock. She turned up the heat, because he was shivering violently. Writing a letter to Poppy, she sent Hitchcock off with it to Hogwarts. She helped Lucius drink a glass of water, to help re-hydrate him after being sick. Lucius was deathly pale, and his gray eyes looked glassy. He was sick several more times. Adriana wiped his fevered brow with a cold washcloth to help cool him off after these episodes.  
  
  
  
Poppy arrived a couple hours later, and examined Lucius. She gave him a few draughts and potions, and he fell into a fitful sleep. Adriana remained at Lucius' side still while he slept. In hushed tones she explained to Poppy what had happened. Poppy looked concerned for Lucius. She told Adriana what to expect when he awoke, and warned that he might slip into a deep depression.  
  
  
  
Adriana stayed by his side through the whole night. She ran her fingers through his white hair, and sang a lullaby to him:  
  
Sleep my love, and peace attend thee  
  
All through the night;  
  
Guardian angels   
  
God will lend thee,  
  
All through the night,  
  
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,  
  
Hill and vale in slumber steeping,  
  
I my loving vigil keeping,  
  
All through the night.   
  
It was one of the longest nights of Adriana's life.  
  
References: Song entitled All Through the Night, is a traditional Welsh song. 


	44. Goodbye and Hello

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Tavington Rose: Well, I'm afraid this is the last official chapter. There is a short epilogue, but this is where I've ended it. I hope you enjoy it!  
  
Arsinoe3: This chapter should help tie up all those loose ends with Lucius and Adriana. I hope you like it!  
  
Wicked Lee: I had such a time decided what Renata's first word should be. But being raised by Snape helped me make the choice I did. I think this chapter will show that the dark days are finally at an end for Adriana and Lucius. I hope you enjoy it!  
  
Goodbye and Hello  
  
Note: This is the final chapter of De Die In Diem: From Day to Day. The next chapter is a short epilogue that I hope will end the story on a good note. I'll save all my final thanks and shout outs till then.  
  
When Lucius woke the next morning, he saw Adriana, asleep in a chair next to his bed. Standing up quietly so he wouldn't wake her, Lucius, left the room. After going to the bathroom, he left the house, walked up to the olive tree, and sat down, watching his breath in the cold morning air. He stayed there for hours, feeling the cold air and the freezing ground spread throughout every limb of his body. He liked that numb feeling and waited for it to reach his brain.  
  
  
  
Adriana woke up, saw Lucius was gone, and panicked. Running around the house, and out to the porch, she was relieved to see him sitting under the tree. She let him sit there, under the tree, while she made breakfast. After it was done, she put some eggs and bacon on a plate, poured a glass of juice, grabbed a fork and napkin and walked out to the tree. "Lucius, I made you some food. You need to eat," Adriana said, holding the plate out to him.   
  
  
  
Lucius looked blankly at the plate of food as he took it from her. Sitting down next to him, she said, "I'll just stay here till you're done eating, that way I can take the plate inside, or if you want, we can go back to the house together when you've finished." Lucius said nothing, but pushed the eggs around on the plate. Taking a small bite, he chewed for a minute before swallowing. It took Lucius an hour to finish eating, and he never said a word the entire time.   
  
  
  
"Let's go inside, you look like you're pretty cold," Adriana suggested, taking hold of his hand, and gently trying to pull him up.  
  
  
  
Lucius ripped his hand out of hers, and snarled, "I don't want to! Leave me alone!"  
  
  
  
"Fine, you don't have to come inside, but I'm getting you a coat, and you will wear it. I'm not going to have you freeze to death out here and have to chisel you off the grass!" Adriana walked away from Lucius, and went to get him a coat.  
  
  
  
Lucius allowed Adriana to put the coat over his shoulders. She left him alone, but checked on him every hour. At lunch Adriana insisted he come inside to eat. "Your hands are freezing, you won't be able to hold a fork!" Lucius stood up slowly. He walked stiffly down the hill, for the cold air had made his bad foot sore.   
  
  
  
Lucius sat at the table with a sandwich and bowl of soup in front of him. "You can't go back outside until you've cleaned your plate," Adriana said, pointing to his food. When he'd finished eating, Lucius stood up and walked into the living room. He sat down on the couch, turned on the telly, and spent the rest of the day watching whatever happened to be on.  
  
  
  
This continued for the rest of the week, until Adriana was fed up. Walking into the living room and turning off the telly one morning, she spoke firmly to Lucius. "That's it! Get up! Now!" When Lucius continued to lay on the couch, she walked over to him, grabbed his arm, and pulled him off the couch, and he slid onto the floor. "Stand up! Get your coat, and follow me!"   
  
  
  
Lucius followed Adriana outside and into the barn. She found a hoe, a rake, and a shovel, handed them to Lucius, and walked outside again. He followed her down the long and winding path to the wheat field. The far end of the field had lain fallow for several seasons, and it was time to prepare it for the growing season next year. There were stones filling the soil that had to be removed. Adriana also wanted a section of the trees cut down and the stumps removed. Adriana explained, "You'll get up with the sun, and work until dusk. You'll eat breakfast and dinner at the house, and I'll bring you lunch and snacks during the day. You'll work on this until you've finished," Adriana said firmly and walked away from him, leaving a bewildered Lucius standing in the middle of the field.  
  
  
  
Lucius looked around the field. It seemed to him to go on forever. How could he do this? Sighing, he walked to one end of the field and began looking for stones. Each time he'd find one, he bent down, picked it up, walked to the edge of the field, and dropped it off. After a couple hours like that, his back was in excruciating pain, and he found a new system of searching on his hands and knees was a little less painful. Even though it was almost December, Lucius wasn't very cold, even though it was so freezing out it hurt to draw a deep breath.  
  
  
  
Adriana returned after another hour with a plate of sandwiches, a thermos of coffee, and a pail of water with a ladle in it. She set that on the edge of the field, so he could keep well hydrated. After he'd eaten the entire plate of food and finished the coffee, Adriana left him to his work again. The first time Lucius tasted the water, he was surprised at the spicy bite to it that warmed him up from the inside. Looking into the bucket, he saw pieces of what he later found out was ginger, floating in it.   
  
  
  
Lucius went about this work without thinking. He found the repetitive movement comforting and saw it was a good way to soothe his frazzled nerves. He found he went the entire day without worrying about the Dark Lord, or thinking about how his whole life had been a lie.  
  
  
  
He went the rest of the week on automatic pilot like that. He'd return in the evening after a day of hard labour, and take a shower to clean and warm himself up. Adriana prepared filling dishes for him. Stews, chili, steak, really hearty food that Lucius found himself craving after such hard work. After eating, he'd be so tired the only thing left to do was to fall into bed and sleep.   
  
  
  
During his one day off on Sunday, Lucius was allowed to lie on the couch and watch the telly, with no objections from Adriana. Adriana tried to give Lucius his space, and stayed in the kitchen most of the day.  
  
  
  
It took Lucius the next three weeks to clear the field of all the stones that seemed to have grown in it while it hadn't been used. When Adriana was satisfied with his work, she gave him an axe and showed him the area of trees to be cleared. There were about 15 trees she wanted cut down.   
  
  
  
Cutting trees down was even more exhausting work than clearing stones had been, for it took much more energy and used many more muscles. Adriana had trouble preparing enough food for him, for he had developed a voracious appetite. He'd never had to do much physical work in his life before, and was using these muscles for the first time. Adriana noticed over the next few weeks how he was beginning to fill out his clothes better. He'd definitely gained weight, and he was looking much stronger.   
  
  
  
It was on one of these days that Lucius began to start thinking about his life again. Everything he'd based his life on had been a lie. Janos had taught him to hate Muggles and the Muggle-born, and Lucius had embraced it without thinking. Voldemort had gotten Janos to kill his mother to draw Lucius to his side. And he'd fallen for it. He'd run to him like an upset child needing comfort, and he'd provided it for him. He'd come to admire, emulate, serve, and worship the man who'd done this to his family. He'd become just like the father he'd hated his entire life. He saw how much he had treated Narcissa the very same way Janos had treated Rowena. But the worst thing Lucius thought, was that he'd passed all of this onto his own son. He'd taught him to hate and sneer at the world around him. He was sure Draco had missed out on some wonderful experiences because of what he had instilled in him. Lucius was filled with shame, humiliation, hate, remorse, pain, and anger.  
  
  
  
Taking his axe and walking up to the nearest tree, Lucius attacked it with a strength he'd never known before. With each stroke, he saw Voldemort, and Janos. After the tree had fallen over, Lucius continued to hack away at it. An hour passed and Lucius exhausted himself with this. With one last burst of energy, he turned his face to the sky, and screamed out his anger, before collapsing to the ground, and resting for a while.  
  
  
  
Adriana came with food, saw the mess he'd created, and how tired he was, but said nothing. He wolfed down everything she'd brought in a few minutes without saying a word. After he'd regained his strength, Lucius set back to work with a new resolve.   
  
  
  
At the end of the day, snow began to fall as Lucius walked back to the house. Stopping in the middle of the farm, he looked around and saw the utter beauty of the property. It was still and silent. The only sound he heard was that of the flakes hitting the frozen ground. Looking towards the house, he saw the back porch light on, guiding him back home again.   
  
  
  
After a long hot shower, Lucius walked into the kitchen and gave Adriana a hug before sitting down to eat. Adriana was shocked. He hadn't shown any signs of affection towards her since before their fight. Adriana was shocked again when Lucius asked her how her day had been. He never spoke during meals. He hadn't really talked much at all since the fight. Adriana thought he'd clearly turned a corner in his depression.  
  
  
  
They spent a quiet but pleasant Christmas together. One of the trees Lucius had cut down had become their Christmas tree. Lucius hadn't been able to buy Adriana any presents, and wondered what to get for her. As they were setting out all the decorations, Adriana talked about the Nativity scene she'd had years ago that had been lost at some point in time. Lucius didn't know what a Nativity scene was and Adriana explained to him what it was. That gave him an idea. Now that it was too snowy out to work on the trees, Lucius was supposed to be working in the barn. Instead of working on his assignment, he took pieces of the trees he'd cut down and attempted to carve things out of them for her. He spent hours in the barn working on them. By Christmas Eve Day, he'd completed the Nativity scene for Adriana. He'd built a little barn, placed straw on the bottom, and placed the pieces he'd painted around just the way Adriana had told him about.  
  
  
  
After she'd gone to sleep, Lucius crept outside, and carefully brought his gift inside, and set it under the tree. He placed a blanket over it to surprise her in the morning.  
  
  
  
Adriana was terribly sad over missing Renata's first Christmas. She imagined Sev was probably showering her with gifts. She'd sent her gifts up to the school a few days before, so he could open them for her on Christmas.   
  
  
  
Adriana was surprised to find a gift from Lucius under the tree on Christmas Day. He'd never been away from the property since she'd brought him back. As Lucius lifted the blanket off his gift, Adriana gasped. He must have spent hours making this for her. His carvings weren't exactly perfect, but put all together, they were a wonderful Impressionist version of a Nativity Scene. Adriana looked at Lucius with tears of happiness in her eyes. She grabbed his hands, which were now rough and covered with calluses, and kissed him.  
  
  
  
Lucius opened his gifts from Adriana. She'd gotten him a pair of gloves with the fingers cut off to help him working outside in the cold weather. She also gave him a pair of heavy work boots to keep his feet warm.   
  
  
  
The greatest gift though, didn't come from a store. Adriana was looking nervous for some reason, and Lucius asked her if everything was ok. Adriana nodded, took a deep breath, and said, "I've been trying to think of the best time to tell you something about me. You've always wondered how I became so powerful, and I never told you. I couldn't before, before, well, you know. But now you're back, to stay, and it's safe for you to know." Adriana told him her life story, just as she had told Sev. She also stressed to Lucius the idea that she had spent much of her life depressed over her immortality. She'd never wanted it. She'd hated it and wanted more than anything to be a normal mortal. She told Lucius if a cure were ever found, she'd take it in a heartbeat.   
  
  
  
When she'd finally finished, Lucius was dumbfounded. She'd lived through such sadness, such tragedy. She'd dealt with depression and disappointment too. It took him a while to be able to speak again, but he took her in his arms and held her while she cried. They spent the rest of the day holding onto one another.  
  
  
  
The next week passed quickly, with Lucius back working on the trees, and Adriana feeding him. On New Year's Eve, they spent another pleasant evening together. Since neither of them would be attending the Masque, they dressed in their best clothes and danced together in the living room. While they kissed and swayed back and forth gently, both felt they were ready to take this to the next level.  
  
  
  
As one, they walked into Adriana's bedroom. They took their time, for they were both very nervous. Adriana remembered the first time they'd ever made love, exactly four years ago. It was much like that first time, except that they were more shy and awkward than they had been that night. Lucius was very gentle with Adriana, as though afraid he might break her. They spent the rest of the night, sleeping in one another's arms.  
  
  
  
Lucius went back to work and finally finished cutting down the trees a few days after New Year's. Now the task of removing the tree stumps remained for Lucius to do. Adriana told him this would require the horse to do it properly. It was the most difficult work he'd done so far. The first stump took three days to remove completely. He'd never been more exhausted at the end of the day when he was finished.  
  
  
  
A couple of weeks later, Adriana had to return to Hogwarts for some reason, and Lucius was given the day off and left alone for the first time in months. Adriana went up to the school to celebrate Renata's first birthday. She, Sev, Alastor, Poppy, Nili, and Albus all met in Albus' office. Renata sat in a highchair. She wore a green party dress with matching green shoes. She had green and silver barrettes holding little tufts of silver-blonde hair, and a green and silver cone-shaped party hat on her head. The group of adults stood around Renata and sang "Happy Birthday" to her, while Renata looked up at them in confusion. Nili had baked a chocolate cake with green and silver frosting, that had been set in front of Renata. Renata dug her tiny hands into it, pulling out handfuls of cake and eating it with a smile on her face. She had green icing smeared all over her face and arms, and cake crumbs in her hair, and Sev didn't look forward to cleaning her up afterwards. The adults stood around Renata and laughed at how messy she was.  
  
  
  
Severus and Adriana opened up the baby's presents and showed them off to the crowd. Renata received books, toys, clothes, and money from everybody. As the party wound down, Adriana helped take everything back to Sev's room. The students were at dinner, so nobody noticed them. Severus was very quiet as he put all of Renata's gifts around his room. As Adriana held her daughter, he turned around, looked at them, and asked quietly, "I suppose you'll be taking her back home again soon."  
  
  
  
Adriana looked up to see the sad expression on Sev's face. "I haven't told Lucius yet, but he's getting better. I'll tell him soon."  
  
  
  
Severus nodded his head and quickly turned back around. "I'll...I'll miss her. I still expect her to come visit me."  
  
  
  
"Of course! All the time! It'll be like she was still here!" Adriana said, trying to sound enthusiastic.  
  
  
  
"When should I start packing her things?" Severus asked, picking up Sly the Rinbear and tracing his fingers over its face.  
  
  
  
"I'll probably come and get her in a couple of weeks," Adriana said.   
  
  
  
Adriana hugged and kissed both Severus and daughter before leaving to see how Lucius' first day alone had been.  
  
  
  
Lucius had spent the day reading and watching the telly. What he didn't tell Adriana was that he'd also spent the time worrying about her and what she was doing with Snape. Perhaps a farewell love-making session? Images of them sleeping together nearly drove Lucius mad. But when she'd returned and kissed him, all those thoughts dissipated.   
  
  
  
Lucius got up the next morning, ready for another day clearing stumps. The next couple of weeks passed quickly. Lucius cleared 3 more stumps.  
  
  
  
One evening after Lucius had taken a shower, and eaten dinner, he watched Adriana as she washed the dishes. She was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Walking up to Adriana, he kissed her, then grabbed a towel, and helped dry the dishes.  
  
  
  
Lucius approached Adriana in the bedroom that night. As she was pulling her nightgown on, he grabbed at it and gently lifted it off her body. Adriana smiled and started to unbutton Lucius' shirt and take his clothes off. They embraced, Lucius leaning down to kiss Adriana. After several minutes, he picked Adriana up and carried her to the bed, laying her down gently. He ran his fingers and lips up and down her body. Adriana grabbed his shoulders and pulled him over, so she was on top of him. She kissed his body, pressing her tongue against his skin, and letting her fingers wander below his waist. Lucius gasped as she traced her fingertips along his Prince Albert. Moving her hand, she straddled his hips and gently moved until he was comfortably inside of her. Lucius was still sitting up, and buried his head in her breasts as she moved over him. After a while, Adriana threw her head back and began to moan. Lucius moved one hand down her body, and began stroking his fingers against her. Adriana gasped and moved her hips faster. After another minute, Adriana cried out as she came. Out of breath, Adriana collapsed on top of him. Lucius gently turned over, so he was on top of her again. Driving himself inside of her, he thrust for a couple of minutes before climaxing. Both he and Adriana were exhausted and out of breath.   
  
  
  
Adriana held Lucius in her arms. One of his hands caressed her breasts, while the other caressed her stomach. After a couple minutes of silence, Lucius said quietly, "You know, I had these dreams while I was away...," His voice trailed off.   
  
  
  
"Oh?" Adriana asked, smiling. "Were they steamy? Were they about me?"  
  
  
  
"Well I had a couple of those, yes, but no, these were unlike any dream I've ever had. There was this little girl, and she looked just like Draco. I think she might have been my daughter. It made me wish she was real...," Lucius explained. He had spoken this in barely more than a whisper, yet Adriana could hear the wistfulness in his voice.   
  
  
  
Adriana was speechless. How had he dreamed about Renata? After about a minute, she realized she'd stopped breathing, and gasped, which startled Lucius.   
  
  
  
"What's the matter, love?" He asked, gazing up at Adriana.  
  
  
  
"Nothing," Adriana replied, smiling down at Lucius. Lucius kissed Adriana's stomach, and closed his eyes. Within a few minutes, she could hear his steady breathing as he had fallen asleep. After a while, Adriana slipped away from Lucius, and walked into the living room. Finding a piece of paper at the writing desk, she wrote a letter to Sev telling him she'd be coming the next day to get Renata. Summoning Hitchcock to her side, she sent him off with the note, and went back to the bedroom. It took a long time before Adriana finally fell asleep.  
  
  
  
The next day, after a late breakfast, she told Lucius she needed to go up to the school, and he could take the day off of work if he wanted to.   
  
  
  
When Adriana arrived at the school and walked to Albus' office, she found Sev, Renata, and the trunk. Albus had decided to leave them alone, to say their farewells in privacy. Severus clung tightly to Renata, who smiled at him, and said, "Pothun!" Taking her aside, he sat Renata on his lap, and whispered, "Renata, it's time for you to go home now. It's safe now, and your parents are waiting for you. I love you very much, you know that, don't you?" Renata looked into his eyes, smiled, and clapped her hands. Severus clenched his jaw, he would not lose his composure. He leaned down and gave Renata a big hug and kiss, before picking her up and placing her in Adriana's arms. Severus walked to the other side of the room, facing the wall. Folding his arms, he spoke with a thick voice, "She loves it when you read potion instructions to her. That always puts her to sleep. She loves macaroni and cheese, that's her favourite food. And she hates cooked carrots. If you give her any, she'll throw them across the room. I put all the clothes I bought her in her trunk, she seems to like them..."   
  
  
  
Adriana had tears in her eyes, watching Sev try to stay calm. "I cannot thank you enough for what you've done Sev. You helped me through so much--you'll never know how much. I owe you more than I could ever repay. Now, I want you to come over and visit all the time, once a week, at least. I'll make sure Lucius behaves himself, or I'll make him sit out on the porch when you're there. And Renata will come visit you too. We need you in our lives, Sev. You're a very important part of who I am, and who my daughter is. And I don't want to hear about you staying in your room all the time anymore. I want you to get out there, in the world. I promised you a long time ago to find a girl for you, and I'll try to keep that promise. Maybe I'll write to Narcissa," Adriana said, smiling through her tears. Sev laughed quietly at that. Adriana walked up to Severus, put her hand on his back, and waited as he turned around. She put her free arm around his shoulder, and pulled him down to kiss him. "We have to go now. I love you, you do know that, don't you?"  
  
  
  
Severus nodded his head, unable to speak. Adriana turned around and walked out the door, the trunk magically lifting from the ground and following behind her. The tears finally fell from his eyes as Sev whispered after them, "I love you too."  
  
  
  
It took a while for Adriana to return home. She had to calm herself down first, and figure out where to put the trunk and the baby until she found Lucius. She left the trunk out on the porch and called out to Lucius from the door to see where he was. There was no answer, so Adriana assumed he was outside. She brought her daughter inside the house for the first time in nine months.   
  
  
  
Just as Adriana was wondering how to present Renata to Lucius, Lucius walked inside the house, and up to them. Lucius froze where he was, and stared, open-mouthed at Renata. His breathing became rapid, and Adriana was afraid he might pass out. "Lucius, why don't you sit down," Adriana said quickly as she gently led him to a chair at the kitchen table. "Lucius, I have something very important to tell you. And you must understand I didn't hide it from you because I didn't want you to know, I wanted you to be stronger before you found out. Before you left...I...was pregnant. And...and...Lucius, you have a daughter," Adriana said carefully, looking at Lucius the entire time to see his reaction.  
  
  
  
Lucius looked at his daughter. It was the same girl he had dreamed of so long ago. Slowly reaching out to Renata, he gently touched her with his hand to see if she was real. Adriana put her in his arms, and Lucius hugged Renata fiercely. "Her name is Renata. It's Latin. It means 'reborn,'" Adriana said quietly.   
  
  
  
Renata remained calm and allowed the father that she'd never met before to hold her. Looking into his face, gray eyes met gray eyes, and Renata spoke to her father for the first time, "Pothun!" was the greeting that Lucius would remember for the rest of his life.   
  
  
  
Lucius smiled and hugged his daughter more tightly. His throat constricted and his eyes started burning as the tears slowly started to fall from them.   
  
  
  
Lucius wept. He had not cried since the day he'd found his mother lying on the bedroom floor. Lucius cried for his beloved mother, he cried for the life he could have had if he'd chosen a different path. He cried for the life he'd had. He cried for the many lives he'd ruined, including those of his wife and son. He cried for the woman who stood before him and the lengths she'd gone to to save him. He cried for how much he loved her. He cried for the child in his arms whose life he'd missed up to this point. Slowly, the tears became less bitter as he thought of the life he would have now, with Adriana and Renata. His daughter's name meant "reborn", and Lucius felt himself being reborn as a new man with a new life as he held her, rocking her gently. 


	45. Epilogue

Author's Note: This story begins during the Second year at Hogwarts, during the Chamber of Secrets and will continue as time goes on. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and along with my friend, ElfFlame, we are writing a series of four stories, which begins with ElfFlame's story- True Revenge. All four of these stories are interrelated and for the best understanding of the characters as we see them, they should be read in conjunction to each other. As always, I own none of this wonderful world that JK Rowling has created.  
  
Author's Note: At this point in time I would just like to say that in telling events of this story from Lucius Malfoy's point of view, I am merely showing his frame of mind. I do not in any way condone or promote the things he does.  
  
Spoiler Warning: This story contains spoilers, both minor and major from all five Harry Potter books.  
  
Epilogue  
  
Lucius Malfoy walked down the stark white hall of a Muggle hospital with a small blonde-haired girl holding one hand, and a small black-haired girl holding the other. "Well girls, what do you think of your new baby sister?" He asked them, looking from one to the other. "Renata, what do you think?"  
  
  
  
The little blonde five-year old girl wriggled her hand free of her father's and crossed her arms. "First Kali and now this one? Wasn't I good enough for you?"  
  
  
  
Lucius sighed, "Yes, darling, but your mother and I have room in our hearts to love many others. It doesn't mean we love you any less. Kalare, what do you think of your new sister?"  
  
  
  
The black-haired two-year old looked up at her father and wrinkled her nose. "She's very loud, do we have to keep her?"  
  
  
  
Lucius laughed and replied, "Yes, honey, we have to keep her."  
  
  
  
"What's her name again?" Kali asked.  
  
  
  
"Ticia," Lucius responded.  
  
  
  
"What's that mean?"  
  
  
  
"It means red."  
  
  
  
"You named her 'red'?"  
  
  
  
"Her hair is red, so we named her Ticia. Don't you think it's a pretty name?"  
  
  
  
"I suppose. Mine's prettier."  
  
  
  
Lucius laughed again. His thoughts turned to Adriana and his newest daughter who were resting in their room. He was so proud of Adriana, he didn't know how she could do it. Sixteen hours of labour and she'd fallen asleep with a smile on her face after it was all over.   
  
  
  
Lucius smiled as he thought of their new daughter. Adriana had agreed to have one more baby, to break the tie. They'd had two blondes and two brunettes in the family, and needed a tie-breaker. What they'd gotten instead was a girl who could've easily passed for a Weasley. Lucius had felt annoyed about this for about two seconds before he got to hold his new daughter in his arms. She'd opened her eyes, sneezed in his face, and he'd fallen head over heels in love with her.  
  
  
  
The older girls began to whine about being hungry as they passed a vending machine, so Lucius fished several coins out of his pocket and bought the girls some sweets. As they walked over to a cluster of chairs to sit down, Kalare asked, "Daddy, will you tell us the story about how you met mummy?"  
  
  
  
"You don't want to hear that old story again, do you?" Lucius replied.  
  
  
  
"I like the part where mum made you fall down! You can tell it until Uncle Sev comes, all right?" Renata piped up.  
  
  
  
"Oh, all right, I suppose I can tell the story one more time..." Lucius tried to sound as though he was doing them a huge favour.  
  
  
  
Lucius sat down in a chair, with Renata in the chair next to him, and Kalare sitting in his lap, leaning against his stomach. "Once upon a time there was a nasty, mean man, who met a beautiful woman..."  
  
Finis  
  
I'd like to thank everybody who has supported me while writing this story. Wicked Lee, TavingtonRose, and Arsinoe3, you've been with me through thick and thin and I am so grateful to that! I've really enjoyed and appreciated all the feedback you've given me.  
  
I'd like to give a special thanks to ElfFlame, my beta, and writing collaborator. She went over each and every chapter with me, and if it hadn't been for some of her suggestions, this story would be much different than it is now.   
  
For those of you who are interested in the future of this family, please read Dragon's Tears, the fourth story of the True Revenge series. This story is written by ElfFlame and tells Draco's point of view of these events, and goes into the future as well.   
  
I also have several chapters written and ready to be posted about Teecie's Hogwarts years. Please let me know if this interests you, so I can post them. Otherwise I might just keep them to myself!  
  
Again, many thanks to everybody who read this story. It took four months to write and has consumed my thoughts day and night the entire time! 


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